With the goal of raising awareness and capacity to use intellectual property tools and innovation for the Vietnamese female intellectual community, the Center for Science and Technology Application and Entrepreneurship (COSTAS) under the Vietnam Association of Intellectual Women has actively implemented the task of “Raising awareness and capacity to use intellectual property tools and innovation in scientific research and business production for the Vietnamese female intellectual community” under the Intellectual Property Development Program to 2030.

According to information from the Center for Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship Application (COSTAS), COSTAS has recently selected and supported 12 inventions of 08 female scientists and research teams to attend the 17th International Exhibition of Women’s Inventions (KIWIE 2024) from June 20 – 22, 2024 at Kintex Exhibition Center, Korea.

Overview of the KIWIE 2024 Opening Ceremony

Vietnamese delegation attends to the Opening Ceremony of KIWIE 2024

The International Exhibition of Women Inventions (KIWIE) is the largest event for female inventors worldwide, held annually since 2008. The exhibition is organized by the Korea Women Inventors Association (KWIA) in collaboration with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the following ministries: Ministry of Science and Information and Communications, Ministry of Industry and Energy, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, etc.

The International Exhibition of Women’s Inventions 2024 (KIWIE 2024) attracted nearly 20 countries (Poland, China, Korea, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Mongolia, Russia, Peru, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tajikistan, Vietnam, Yemen, …) with more than 400 inventions and technologies introduced and displayed.

This year, with the theme “ See, experience and buy women’s inventions in one place ”, KIWIE 2024 and the Women’s Invention Conference are valuable opportunities for Vietnamese female scientists to introduce their inventions to the international community, learn from the experiences of other female inventors and seek potential cooperation.

Along with the Exhibition, there was also a Discussion on policies to support women in commercializing intellectual property with the participation of IP5 Council members, including the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Japan Intellectual Property Office (JPO), European Intellectual Property Office (EPO), Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)…

Discussion on policies to support women in the commercialization of intellectual property with the participation of IP5 Council members. IP5 is the abbreviation of the Council of the World’s Top 5 Intellectual Property Offices, established in 2007 as an advisory body between the IP offices of Korea, the United States, China, Japan and five European countries, which account for more than 80% of the world’s patent applications. IP5 handles approximately 80% of global patent applications and clears 95% of all work done under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

In addition, female scientists and entrepreneurs participating in KIWIE 2024 also attended the Global Women Inventors Leadership Academy Training, which included stories about intellectual property management and entrepreneurship of female inventors and innovative startups.

“This event has attracted the attention of people around the world because it is related to the IP5 Commissioner Meeting,” said Kim Si-hyung, director of the Korean Intellectual Property Office. “We will spare no effort in providing attention and support to help female inventors grow in the future,” the director of the Korean Intellectual Property Office added.

After 3 days of active and exciting activities, (KIWIE 2024) successfully ended with 01 Grand Prize, 5 Semi-Grand Prizes and many Gold, Silver, Bronze Medals along with special prizes from related organizations.

At this Exhibition, the Center for Science and Technology Application and Entrepreneurship under the Vietnam Association of Intellectual Women participated in 03 booths, displaying 12 inventions, useful solutions and science and technology products of 08 female scientists supported by the Mission “Raising awareness and capacity to use intellectual property tools, innovation in scientific research and business production for the Vietnamese intellectual women community” under the Intellectual Property Development Program to 2030″. This is the second time that Vietnamese female scientists directly introduced their inventions at KIWIE.

Female scientists from countries participating in KIWIE 2024 visit the Vietnamese delegation’s booth

Female scientists from countries participating in KIWIE 2024 visit the Vietnamese delegation’s booth

It can be said that this second campaign of the Vietnam Association of Women Intellectuals has achieved a lot of success. The delegation not only welcomed many scientists and businesses from other countries to visit the booth, expressing the desire to cooperate in research and trade of science and technology products, but the inventions, technologies and products registered for the competition were also highly appreciated by the Exhibition Organizing Committee for their creativity and scientific content.

Representatives of the research team received the Special Award of the Polish Association of Inventors and Rationalizers and the KIWIE Gold Medal 2024

Vietnamese female inventor takes souvenir photo with KIPO Director

Vietnamese delegation took souvenir photo with KIWIA President

As a result, the delegation won 13 awards, including 1 Semi-Grand Prize, 1 Special Prize, 4 Gold Medals, 5 Silver Medals, 2 Bronze Medals. This is truly a valuable award and a great source of encouragement for Vietnamese female scientists after many years of scientific research. These awards once again affirm the international recognition of the quality and creativity of Vietnamese female inventors.

Vietnamese female inventors take souvenir photos with 13 awards from the KIWIE Organizing Committee at the Science and Technology Representative Office, Seoul, Korea

Among the competing technologies of female inventors from nearly 20 countries participating in the Exhibition, the Vietnamese delegation of female scientists achieved great success with 13 awards: 01 second grand prize (Semi Grand Prix), 01 special prize, 04 gold medals, 05 silver medals and 02 bronze medals, specifically as follows:

1. Dr. Phan Thi Lan, researcher at the Vietnam – Korea Institute of Science and Technology, and her research team won the second-biggest prize (Semi – Grand Prix) with patent number 10 – 1898584 issued by the Korean Intellectual Property Office on September 9, 2021 on “Hydrogen sulfide gas sensor, detection method and manufacturing method”

and Gold Medal with patent No. 10-2302790 issued by the Korean Intellectual Property Office on September 7, 2018 on “motion recognition method and corresponding electronic device”;

2. Assoc.Prof.Dr.NCVCC. Ha Phuong Thu, Director of the Center for Advanced Biomedical Materials, Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, and her research team won the Gold Medal with Patent No. 22424 issued by the Vietnam National Office of Intellectual Property on October 30, 2019 on “Curcumin microencapsulation method using Fucoidan extracted from brown seaweed (Laminaria japonica Aresch) and Saponin from Panax notogingseng (Burk.) FH Chen) and the nano system (Fucoidan-Gingseng-Curcumin) obtained by this method”

and Patent No. 31505 issued by the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam on March 3, 2022 on “Method of producing standardized nano-extract of purple Morinda officinalis How and the standardized nano-extract system of purple Morinda officinalis obtained by this method” won the Silver Medal;

3. Associate Professor, Dr. Le Thi Mai Huong, former Deputy Director of the Institute of Rare Radioactive Technology, currently working at the Nuclear Training Center, Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute, and her research team won the Gold Medal with Utility Solution No. 3100 issued by the Vietnam National Office of Intellectual Property on February 14, 2023 on “Wastewater treatment process containing 2,4,6 Trinitrotaluene (TNT) using bimetallic internal electrolyte materials containing Nano-sized FE and CU”

and Utility Solution No. 3112 issued by the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam on February 15, 2023 on “Process of producing bimetallic electrolyte containing FE and CU with Nano particle size and electrolyte materials produced by this process” issued by the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam on February 15, 2023 won the Silver Medal

4. MSc. Tran Huong Giang, Researcher at the Institute of Genome Research, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, and her research team won the Gold Medal with the invention “Biologically pure strain of Talaromyces sp.DC1 fungus” which was accepted as valid application No. 97650/QD-SHTT dated November 13, 2023 by the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam, won the special prize of the Polish Invention Association and the Gold Medal

5. Prof. Dr. Vu Thi Thu Ha, Director of the National Key Laboratory for Refining and Petrochemicals, and her research team won 02 Silver Medals with Patent No. US 10 822 572 B2 issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office on November 3, 2020 and Patent No. 26789 issued by the Vietnam National Office of Intellectual Property on November 16, 2020 on “The process of producing a base biological solvent system using a heterogeneous catalyst and a base biological solvent system obtained by this process”, which is one of the components that create the product Additive to improve the efficiency of liquid fuel use, reduce pollutant emissions (FNT6VN). The product has been protected by trademark.

And the invention “Additive for solid fuel combustion and process for producing this additive” has been accepted by the US Patent and Trademark Office for application number 18232779 on August 8, 2023 and the Vietnam Intellectual Property Office for application number 1-2022-07602 to create the product Additive to improve the efficiency of solid fuel (coal, biomass-based fuel), reduce pollutant emissions (ECOAL). This product has been protected by trademark. Both products are being commercialized, bringing clear economic-technical and environmental efficiency in Vietnam;

6. Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoan, Researcher, Institute of Chemistry, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, and her research team won the Silver Medal with Utility Solution No. 1627 issued by the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam on “Process of producing Nano Chitosan preparation carrying Nano Cucurmin Turmeric essential oil;

7. Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Minh Tan, Director of the Institute for Research and Development of Natural Compounds Applications (INAPRO), Hanoi University of Science and Technology with the Project entitled: “Smart and Mobile Herbal Honey Production Technology Solution” based on the Patent granted under Decision No. 38090/SHTT-SC.IP of the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam on May 2, 2024, won the Bronze Medal;

8. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Thi Thanh Le, Thuy Loi University with Utility Solution No. 3371 of the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam dated September 20, 2023 on “Process of producing detergent containing Saponin from soapberry” won the Bronze Medal.