Patents

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ultimate buzzword at the moment. But from a patent-based perspective, it is more than just the new fad: it is a pointer to technological developments and signals what consumers should expect from new products coming to the market in the near future.

For all the patent attorneys out there, it is also an indicator of the technologies we will be expected to deal with and translate into patent documents. So let’s have a look at what has been happening in the past few years.

When it all started

We are proud to share that Inventa has once again been recognised in the 2025 edition of the IAM Patent 1000, a leading guide dedicated to identifying top patent professionals worldwide. In the Prosecution category for Portugal, Inventa was highlighted for its continued excellence and expertise in the field.

The Harare Protocol, one of ARIPO’s cornerstone agreements, allows applicants to secure protection for patents, utility models, and industrial designs through a single ARIPO application, with the same effect as if filed directly in each designated member state. This regional mechanism has long been a valuable tool for rights holders seeking efficient, centralized IP protection across participating African jurisdictions. In this context, we would like to highlight the recent expansion of the system.

As of March 1, 2025, the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) has enacted a series of major amendments to its governing legal instrument, the Harare Protocol, which regulates the procedure for the protection of patents and industrial designs among its member states.

The intersection of intellectual property (IP) and genomics is reshaping the landscape of healthcare, biotechnology, and business in Nigeria. Genomics—the study of an organism’s entire genetic material—has profound implications for medical research, personalised medicine, agriculture, and pharmaceutical innovations. However, ensuring equitable benefits and commercial viability requires a robust IP framework.

On April 8, the first in-person meeting of the Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC) of the Unified Patent Court was held in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Vítor Palmela Fidalgo, Legal Director at Inventa and the Portugal’s representative of the Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC) Committee, attended the session, contributing to ongoing efforts to structure the Court’s Mediation and Arbitration Center and to define specific topics essential to the development of PMAC’s operations.

Africa is beginning to make its mark in the international space sector, driven by growing investment and innovation. The 2025 inauguration of the African Space Agency represents a key milestone in this expansion.

The webinar “Protect Your IP with IT and Inventa: Software Patents and Artificial Intelligence” took place on February 26, with the participation of Inventa.

The event was held at the Telecommunications Institute (IT) in Lisbon and highlighted the main challenges and opportunities in protecting computer-implemented inventions, including those driven by Artificial Intelligence.

On February 17, 2025, Angela Adebayo Agbe-Davies, Regional Director at Inventa Nigeria, led the masterclass “Exploring Governance Models and Intellectual Property” at the 5th edition of The Creative Class Programme by The Assembly Hub.