Youth Ecopreneur Programme launches IP management clinic with WIPO to support green business growth

25 Selected Youth Ecopreneur Programme participants are receiving tailored intellectual property support to strengthen their businesses and grow their impact.

For many young green entrepreneurs, the challenge is not only building an innovative solution — it is knowing how to protect it, position it and use it to grow.

To support youth-led businesses working on land restoration and the green economy, the Youth Ecopreneur Programme has kicked off a new Intellectual Property Management Clinic, in partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization.

The clinic is part of the programme’s post-awards support and helps selected ecopreneurs better understand the value of their intangible assets, from technologies and digital tools to brands, designs, data and proprietary know-how.

The selected businesses work across a wide range of sectors, from AI-powered farming and traceability systems to agricultural microbiology, digital platforms, cosmetics and bamboo-based product innovation. While their sectors differ, many are facing similar questions as they grow: which assets should be protected first, how can limited resources be prioritized, and how can collaboration happen without losing control over the ideas, brands and technologies that set them apart?

Over the coming months, participants will move from identifying what makes their businesses valuable to deciding how best to protect and use those assets. With support from WIPO-selected IP experts, each company will take part in tailored mentoring sessions, practical workshops and guided exercises using WIPO tools such as the IP Strategy Checklist and IP Diagnostic Tool. By the end of the clinic, each company will receive a customized IP roadmap outlining its key assets, protection gaps and recommended actions.

For youth entrepreneurs, intellectual property can play an important role in turning ideas into business value. It can help protect brands, products, designs, technologies and know-how, while also supporting partnerships, investment readiness and market expansion. Entrepreneurs interested in learning more can explore WIPO’s free IP tools and resources, including the IP Diagnostic Tool and IP Strategy Checklist, which help businesses assess their intangible assets and identify areas that may need attention.

For Youth Ecopreneur Programme alumni from the 2023–2025 cohorts, this support comes at a crucial stage. Many are expanding into new markets, developing partnerships and preparing to scale their businesses. By helping them protect the ideas, brands, technologies and know-how behind their work, the clinic supports young entrepreneurs to grow more strategically and sustainably.

The Youth Ecopreneur Programme (YECO) is a joint initiative of the International Trade Centre and G20 Global Land Initiative