Effective use of the intellectual property (IP) helps businesses increase their competitiveness. IP is a key driver of economic growth and innovation in business. In addition, intellectual property rights (IPRs) encourage innovation and creativity. IPRs provide social and technological benefits as they encourage innovation while maintaining exclusive rights of an innovator as well as provide important mechanisms to help address many of society's most.

IPRs in science and technology help improve productivity and quality of products and services in businesses. IN THE PHOTO: Cordyceps dried by sublimation drying technology, a 4-star OCOP of Vinseed Biotechnology Company Limited gain consumer trust. Photo: QUYNH TRANG

Mrs Vu Thi Bich Hau, the Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Science and Technology, said that over recent years, the department has been active in providing support for businesses and startups to protect their innovation and creativity as welll as boost intellectual property creation. With active support from the Department, local businesses have created such intellectual property as Surgical Mask Making Machine, Automatic Bag Folding Machine from Chau Da Company, Water Tank Filter from Sustech Green Environment Company, Magnetic Baking Pans from QCM Technology Company, 20-80mm thick Sheet Metal Roller from Ha Giang Phuoc Tuong Mechanical Joint Stock Company, Software-defined networking (SDN) switches from Acronics Solutions Company.

These products have been protected and commercialized so that their inventors are able to turn themselves into science and technology (S&T) enterprises, thereby driving innovation in these businesess , increasing their productivity, improving quality of their products and services, and raising their revenue. Till date, 18 enterprises in Da Nang have been recognised as Science and Technology Enterprises.

In addition, the municipal Department of Science and Technology has supported businesses to file an application for registration of establishment of industrial property rights to 32 collective trademarks or certification marks, thereby contributing to promoting the city’s socio-economic development, preservating and developing traditional craft villages in the city, developing OCOP (One Commune-One Product) and key local agricultural products.

In its efforts to encourage creativity in young people, over recent years, the Representative Office of the National Office of Intellectual Property of Viet Nam (NOIP) in Da Nang has exerted every effort to raise awareness on the protection of intellectual property rights in innovation among young people through organising such seminars as ‘Importance of IPR for Startups’, ‘IPR and IPR Management in Universities’, "IPR in Education’, and ‘Students with IPR’.

Le Thi Mai, a student of Control and Automation Engineering Faculty at the Da Nang University of Science and Technology, is a co-inventor who contributes to the creation of automated disinfection system and service robot in the hospital’s isolation area for COVID-19 patients. Till date, more than 100 automated disinfection systems have been installed in hospitals across Da Nang. Meanwhile, service robot in the hospital’s isolation area for COVID-19 patients is being upgraded to service robot in hospital that will be used to support doctors and nurses to provide medical examination and treatment services for patients. Currently, the inventors of these products are in the process of filling an application to protect their invention.

Mai believes that the establishment of industrial property rights to her group’s invention will encourage innovation in her group, thereby inspire them to continue perfecting their products to best suit society’s needs.

The Da Nang government has issued the IP development programme to 2030 while the municipal People's Council also passed a resolution dated December 17, 2021 stipulating the level of finanical support for registration of intellectual property protection until 2030. This year, the city is focussing on raising public awareness of intellectual property rights by organising training courses, thematic training courses, and publicity events. Besides, special attention is given to creating lookup tools, database, ownership information packages. Heed is paid to supporting the development of IP in schools, institutes and businesses, as well as supporting the marketing, advertising, and trade promotion in the city's IP.

Reporting by PHONG LAN – Translating by H.L