Every year on April 26, innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs across the globe celebrate World Intellectual Property Day, an initiative established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to highlight the importance of intellectual property in driving innovation and creativity. In 2023, the theme — “Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity” — placed a well-deserved spotlight on the contributions of women in shaping the future of innovation, while also confronting with honesty and urgency the barriers that continue to limit their full participation in the systems that protect and commercialize new ideas.

The 2023 theme celebrates the remarkable spirit of women inventors, creators, and entrepreneurs worldwide — individuals whose ideas and ingenuity are transforming industries and improving lives in ways that benefit everyone. From scientific breakthroughs and technological advancements to creative works and pioneering business ventures, women are playing an increasingly important role in the global innovation ecosystem. Yet despite these contributions, their participation in the intellectual property system remains disproportionately low. Women represent nearly half of the global population, but only a small percentage of inventors named in international patent applications are women — a striking statistic that highlights a significant and persistent gap in access and participation. This gap is not a reflection of capability or ambition. It is a reflection of structural barriers that the innovation community has a responsibility to address. World IP Day 2023 served as both a celebration of what women have already achieved and a call to action to unlock the full potential of women in innovation by dismantling the obstacles that stand in their way.

A central focus of the 2023 campaign was the gender gap in intellectual property itself. While meaningful progress has been made in recent decades — with more women entering STEM fields, launching businesses, and filing patent and trademark applications than at any point in history — structural and systemic barriers continue to limit women’s ability to fully engage with the IP system. These challenges are well documented and deeply rooted. Limited access to education and IP knowledge means that many women innovators are unaware of the protections available to them or how to navigate the filing process. Fewer professional networks, mentors, and sponsors reduce the informal support systems that are often critical to successfully commercializing an invention or building a brand. Difficulty securing funding and investment disproportionately affects women entrepreneurs, who consistently receive a smaller share of venture capital and business lending than their male counterparts. Persistent bias and unequal opportunities in academic institutions, corporate research departments, and innovation ecosystems create environments where women’s contributions are less likely to be recognized and rewarded. And disproportionate caregiving responsibilities continue to constrain the time and energy that many women can devote to creative and inventive pursuits. These barriers mean that countless innovative ideas never reach their full potential — not because of a lack of creativity or talent, but because of unequal access to the tools, resources, and support needed to protect and commercialize those ideas. Closing this gap is not merely a matter of fairness, though fairness alone would be sufficient justification. It is an economic and societal imperative, because the world cannot afford to leave half of its innovative potential untapped.

Innovation thrives on diversity. When more voices, perspectives, and lived experiences are included in the creative and inventive process, the result is stronger, more relevant, and more impactful solutions to the problems that matter most. World IP Day 2023 emphasized that inclusive IP ecosystems benefit everyone — not just the women who gain access, but the communities, industries, and economies that benefit from the innovations they create. By enabling more women to participate fully in the intellectual property system, new technologies and creative works emerge that address needs and perspectives that might otherwise be overlooked. Businesses become more dynamic and competitive when their leadership and innovation teams reflect the diversity of the markets they serve. Economies grow more resilient when a broader base of entrepreneurs and creators contributes to growth and job creation. And global challenges — from public health to climate change to food security — are addressed with the broader range of perspectives that complex, interconnected problems demand. Encouraging women’s participation in IP is not a niche concern or a symbolic gesture. It is essential to building more inclusive and effective innovation systems worldwide.

Intellectual property is itself a powerful tool for empowerment. It allows creators and innovators to protect their ideas and inventions from unauthorized use, build businesses and attract the investment needed to grow, gain recognition for their contributions in their fields and communities, and scale their impact across markets and borders. For women entrepreneurs and creators in particular, access to intellectual property systems can be transformative — turning an idea developed in a home office, a university laboratory, or a small workshop into a sustainable venture with the legal protections needed to compete and thrive. Events and initiatives around the world during World IP Day 2023 highlighted these stories, showcasing women who overcame significant obstacles to bring their innovations to life and emphasizing the critical importance of protecting their work through patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. These stories are not exceptions — they are examples of what becomes possible when the tools of intellectual property are made accessible to all innovators.

The message of World IP Day 2023 extends beyond recognition and celebration — it is fundamentally about building a future where innovation ecosystems are more inclusive, accessible, and equitable than those that exist today. Achieving this vision requires concrete action on multiple fronts. It requires expanding access to IP education and resources so that women innovators and creators understand how to protect their work from the earliest stages. It requires supporting women entrepreneurs and creators through dedicated programs, incubators, and funding mechanisms designed to address the specific barriers they face. It requires promoting mentorship and networking opportunities that connect women with the sponsors, advisors, and peers who can accelerate their success. It requires addressing systemic biases in funding and innovation systems that have historically undervalued women’s contributions. And it requires encouraging policy reforms at the institutional, national, and international levels that foster inclusivity and remove unnecessary barriers to participation. By taking these steps deliberately and consistently, we can create an environment where all innovators — regardless of gender — have a genuine and equal opportunity to succeed.

At a time when the world faces complex and interconnected challenges — from climate change and global health crises to economic inequality and food insecurity — innovation is more important than ever. But innovation cannot reach its full potential if half the population is underrepresented in the systems that create, protect, and commercialize new ideas. The 2023 theme reminds us that closing the gender gap in intellectual property is not just about equality in the abstract — it is about unlocking untapped potential that the world urgently needs. When more women participate in innovation and creativity, when their ideas are protected and their contributions recognized, society benefits as a whole. “Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity” is both a celebration and a challenge. It celebrates the achievements of women around the world while calling for greater inclusion in the systems that support and sustain innovation. World Intellectual Property Day 2023 invites all of us — practitioners, policymakers, business leaders, educators, and innovators alike — to rethink how we support creators and inventors, and to ensure that the tools of intellectual property are genuinely accessible to everyone. Because when women are empowered to innovate, create, and lead, we do not just close a gap — we accelerate progress for all.