In a multi-year endeavor in partnership with Technopolis Group, TIV supported the Government of Suriname with guidance and documentation towards drafting novel legislation on Intellectual Property.  The project was under the auspices of the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) loan “Suriname Business Climate and Innovation Program (SUBCIP) SU-L1043.” The project initiated with a preliminary Needs Assessment, the result of which demonstrated that Suriname’s capacities for IP and Technology were deficient across all sectors, largely in part to due to a lacking legal IP framework and deficient awareness by key stakeholders of the value of IP protection. Consequently, in a joint effort, TIV assisted in conducting a systematic overhaul of IP regulatory system in Suriname, focused on several key initiatives.

• Establishing a strong legal framework and methodology of IP Enforcement

• Mapping the state of Technical Knowledge in Suriname with a subsequent plan for spreading awareness of IP.

• Building and Strengthening IP Networks

• Spreading knowledge, Encouraging Education and Showcasing Success.

One of the hallmark projects during the engagement involved TIV providing intimate support to Surinamese artisans towards the protection of their traditional knowledge. For instance, TIV demonstrated the potential for protecting intellectual property in the country’s first effort to commoditize Carapa Oil Production. Carapa oil (or sometimes known as andiroba) is a sacred medicinal oil used in Latin America and the Caribbean. Accordingly, TIV not only provided technical advisory on how to safeguard the traditions of Carapa oil, but also assisted in developing a business plan in order to streamline and standardize its production. We also guided them on SPS certifications. The project led to a cascade of positive outcomes, including the empowerment of women, economically and socially, and developing a novel profit stream for these artisans through their own marketplace on Amazon.com.

Moreover, a series of workshop were conducted which  featured instruction from global IP and Tech Transfer leaders, with a target audience comprised of high level policy makers, including: the Surinamese IP Bureau, the Cultural Union of Suriname (CUS), the Ministry of Science, the Ministry of Trade and Infrastructure, in addition to entrepreneurs and business who could utilize IP towards profitability. Various forms of IP including patents, copyrights, trademarks, Traditional Knowledge, and Geographical Indications, were covered. The series of lectures, discussions and brainstorming sessions were a tremendous success, with an end result of increased awareness, understanding and confidence of the participants. The workshops were subsequently followed by months of continued advisory, surveys and analyses under the auspices of TIV and Technopolis, culminating into a road map for Suriname’s Intellectual Property Law future for the period of 2020-2024