At a previous JIRICO event, which was co-sponsored by Hoover IP2, Stephen Haber, director of Hoover IP2, gave the keynote address. His presentation on the fallacies of patent holdup was delivered at the JIRCO International Workshop on Standard Essential Patents and Existing Debates in India, held in Delhi in December 2016.
IP² Steering Committee member Richard Sousa presented his latest work on the demographics of intellectual property at the 2nd International Conference on Standardization, Patents and Competition Issues sponsored by the Jindal Initiative on Research and Competition (JIRCO) (see conference agenda) in Delhi, India, on June 10, 2017. Sousa contends that shifting demographics, with both the relative and the absolute number of older people increasing, will alter the consumer product mix to one that meets the demands of older consumers. The new product mix will emphasize medical equipment and technology, pharmaceuticals, mobility and transportation, and communications: all produced by and created in sectors of the economy that have historically relied on intellectual property rights and patent protection to enhance growth and innovation. Sousa stated that as the demand for products in these industries increases, it is important to protect the intellectual property rights that provide the incentives for firms and individuals to innovate. The slide deck for Sousa’s presentation can be found here.
