Cambodia is strengthening its efforts to make intellectual property a more practical tool for business growth with the planned establishment of an Intellectual Property Business Centre (IPBC), a new initiative designed to help businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators better understand, protect and commercialize their intellectual assets.

The Ministry of Commerce and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish the IPBC during a bilateral meeting between commerce minister Cham Nimul and WIPO director general Daren Tang in Geneva, Switzerland.

The meeting focused on closer cooperation on intellectual property, innovation and Cambodia’s broader economic development agenda.

The new centre is expected to provide businesses with greater access to information and support on IP protection and management. By improving awareness of the commercial value of IP, the initiative aims to help Cambodian enterprises protect their innovations, develop stronger brands and compete more effectively in both domestic and international markets.

The IPBC will also complement Cambodia’s ongoing efforts to modernize its IP system and expand support for the private sector, particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups and entrepreneurs. Greater access to IP knowledge can help businesses turn ideas and innovations into commercially viable products and services while creating opportunities for new investment and market expansion.

The agreement marks another milestone in Cambodia’s cooperation with WIPO. Nimul expressed appreciation for the organization’s continued technical support, citing progress in areas including IP administration, digital transformation, innovation, entrepreneurship and initiatives supporting SMEs.

The minister also highlighted WIPO-backed projects already being implemented in Cambodia, including the Appropriate Technology Project and the Intellectual Property for Tourism Project. These initiatives have demonstrated how IP can support local economic development by helping communities develop innovative products, distinctive brands and tourism-related offerings.

The establishment of the IPBC comes as Cambodia seeks to diversify its economy, promote higher-value production and build a more innovation-driven private sector. Stronger IP protection and awareness can give businesses greater confidence to invest in new ideas while helping them build and preserve the value of their brands and other intellectual assets.

Cambodia will be the first Least Developed Country to sign an MoU with WIPO on establishing an IP Business Center, according to the Ministry of Commerce. The development underscores the country’s efforts to strengthen its IP ecosystem and incorporate intellectual property more closely into its economic and innovation strategy.

Through the new centre, Cambodia aims to bring IP support closer to the businesses and innovators that need it, positioning intellectual property not only as a legal protection mechanism but also as a tool for commercialization, competitiveness and long-term economic growth.

- Excel V. Dyquiangco