Patents

Recognized as one of Nigeria’s leading intellectual property practitioners, Angela Adebayo Agbe-Davies, Managing Director at Inventa, has expanded access to IP education and services across West Africa. In this conversation, she reflects on her journey, the convictions that shaped her leadership, and the evolving role of women in the legal and corporate landscape.

Inventa is pleased to share that our team took part in the European Patent Office’s recent kick-off event for the newly established Candidate Support Programme (CSP), held in Munich on 31 October 2025.

Innovation is the engine that keeps products in high demand, processes up to date with recent technological trends and, in the end, companies relevant in their markets.

However, maintaining the innovation flow within an organisation is challenging as it requires a good amount of resources, human and otherwise. It is often by resorting to the establishment of partnerships that companies and public institutions can overcome the obstacles preventing them from developing new products and technologies.

On September 29 and 30, 2025, BioMeet 2025 took place at the Taguspark Conference Center in Oeiras. The event focused on the biotechnology sector, promoting knowledge sharing, networking, and stimulating innovation.

On September 19th, the Global Creative Legal Summit took place at the Landmark Event Center in Lagos. The summit gathered thought leaders, legal experts, and innovators to explore emerging trends, shaping IP policy and creative law awareness.
This year’s event theme was "training Africa's legal talent for a connected, creative and commercial market," creating a platform for learning and the exchange of ideas.

Crystal Zhang attended the China International Trademark Festival (CTF) in Taiyuan, China from September 5th to 8th and CIPAC 2025 on September 11 and 12 in Beijing, China.

Both events brought together leading professionals to explore the latest developments and challenges in the IP field. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with colleagues to exchange insights. Here are some moments from the events:

Some moments at CTF

Obtaining a European patent usually takes 3–5 years, but the European Patent Office offers ways to accelerate the process, such as fast-track programs and special procedures for international applications.

Vítor Sérgio Moreira explains that faster patent approval can be valuable for protecting new technologies, stopping competitors, or supporting licensing and business deals. However, he cautions that speeding up may also bring risks, such as earlier refusals, narrower protection, or accelerated post-grant costs.

In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced automotive technologies, it’s easy to assume that the ideas driving innovation are born in the tech corridors of Silicon Valley or the R&D labs of Europe.

Yet occasionally, a story emerges that challenges this assumption and forces us to reconsider where genius truly resides. One such story begins in Angola, back in 2007.