"So let me congratulate the winners of this year's awards, thank them for showcasing to other SMEs the power of IP..." On July 12, during the 65th WIPO Assemblies in Geneva, Switzerland, the 2024 WIPO Global Awards ceremony was held. Beijing Healinno Technology Co., Ltd. (Healinno Tech), along with companies from Argentina, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, and Turkey, was selected from over 660 participants to receive the prestigious WIPO Global Awards. This marks the third consecutive year that Chinese SMEs have been recognized with this global award, manifesting their innovation strength and earning international recognition and acclaim.
Global selection as a "wind vane"
"Globally, SMEs make up more than 90% of all businesses, but many of them are still not fully harnessing the power of IP to grow their business. This award however celebrates those that are doing so and demonstrates that IP is not just for business growth but can also make a positive difference to the world. " said WIPO Director General Daren Tang at the awards ceremony. Since its establishment in 2022, the WIPO Global Awards have become a "wind vane" for observing the innovation and commercialization trends of SMEs worldwide.
This year's WIPO Global Awards received over 660 applications from 107 countries, covering fields such as creative industries, food, and the environment. After rigorous selection by the expert jury, nine companies, including AETECH and Healinno Tech, were honored with the award.
From waste-sorting robots to solar-powered equipment, from automated waterjet ablation surgical robots to 3D-printed bone replacements, and from quantum sensing microscopes to AI-driven brain injury scanners, this year's winning companies have demonstrated a range of innovative achievements in health, agri-food, and quantum technology, highlighting the critical role of IP in driving global economic and social progress and improving people's quality of life.
The ability to protect, manage, and utilize IP assets is a vital engine for the growth and expansion of SMEs. The winners of this year's WIPO Global Awards have accumulated extensive experience in the field of IP. For example, Republic of Korea's AETECH uses its comprehensive IP portfolio to support its business expansion from Republic of Korea to Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and Southeast Asia. Kuwait's ScansX leverages its patents and trademarks globally through licensing agreements. These valuable experiences have helped the winning companies grow and scale in the fiercely competitive global market.
A Chinese enterprise shows innovation competitiveness
In this year's WIPO Global Awards, Healinno Tech, the only Chinese company to win, received widespread attention. Founded in 2021, Healinno Tech is a tech startup focusing on the research and development of surgical robots and intelligent diagnostic and treatment equipment.
"We are deeply honored to receive this prestigious recognition from WIPO on behalf of Chinese innovative enterprises," said Shi Yilun, Founder & CEO of Healinno Tech, at the awards ceremony. Healinno Tech is dedicated to bringing safer and more effective treatment options to the world. The company's high-energy waterjet ablation surgical robot (waterjet surgical robot) helps surgeons provide treatment for millions suffering from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).
Healinno Tech's waterjet surgical robot has overcome several key core technologies, including multi-dimensional imaging real-time planning, multi-axis linkage automatic swirled cutting, high-energy non-thermal waterjet precise control, and multi-modal data global monitoring, achieving breakthroughs in the surgical treatment of BPH, which offers clinical advantages. In December 2023, the National Medical Products Administration approved this robot for the "green channel" of innovative medical devices.
"Being selected for the WIPO Global Awards is a tremendous recognition of Healinno Tech's technological innovation capabilities and IP work," said Zhao Jing, COO of Healinno Tech, in an interview with our reporter. The company has always focused on independent research and development as its core strategy and has conducted a comprehensive IP layout around its innovative achievements, establishing a well-structured IP system that ensures the close integration of IP work and R&D activities. As of date, the company has filed over 80 patent applications worldwide, including 9 international patent applications through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), with 36 patents granted. It has also registered 28 trademarks, providing effective IP protection for their global market expansion.
Including Healinno Tech, five Chinese SMEs have successively won the WIPO Global Awards. As China gradually becomes a crucial part of the global innovation landscape, more and more SMEs with their independent IP achievements are shining on the world stage, showcasing the charm of "Chinese innovation" and continuously injecting vitality and vigor into global innovation development.