The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) is to bring together experts on innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a forum set for Cardiff's Millennium Stadium from 10-11 September. Focusing on countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the forum will provide delegates with updates on all major aspects of the value relationship between SMEs and the ideas economy.

In its broad-based fiscal research into its member states, the OECD has established itself as a significant IP body, wielding patent analytics to test the growth and spread of innovation across various sectors. The forum promises a global perspective with an emphasis on diversity. This will encompass talks on the effective management of intellectual assets to promote competition; plus details of outreach programmes that exist to aid SMEs, start-ups and spin-offs.

WIPO's event chimes with important developments in the SME field in the largest OECD nation, the United States. There, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship has led a concerted effort to enshrine SME IP in US law for the long term. Headed by former Presidential candidate, Senator John Kerry (Dem, Mass), the committee aims to protect SMEs as the 'backbone' of the US economy. To that end, it has unanimously passed a bill to reauthorise two flagship initiatives: the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programmes.

The SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act seeks to extend the initiatives for 14 years, setting new sunset dates of 2022 and 2023, respectively. Under this new regime, the programmes – scheduled to lapse at the end of this month – will both receive increased government funding, plus support from an enhanced Federal and State Technology Program (FAST), which the committee hopes will engage more widespread participation from rural areas.

Senator Kerry is emphatic on the importance of SMEs to providing the US economy with intellectual assets. 'Small business research keeps our country on the cutting edge of innovation,' he says. 'We've worked to address many of the concerns of the small business community and of my colleagues in the House and Senate, and this bill would keep these programmes going strong. This government-wide program has generated more than 84,000 patents and millions of jobs, and we need to make sure that it doesn't lapse, so that it can continue to help keep our military strong, advance medical breakthroughs, and develop energy sources that are renewable and clean.'

Kerry's legislative partner in the committee, Olympia Snowe (Rep, Maine), adds: 'By increasing the percentage of Federal [R&D] dollars these crucial programs receive, we will pump another $1 billion into our small business economy. At a time when the nation is struggling to cope with skyrocketing energy prices and a slumping housing market, we simply cannot allow these programs to expire at the end of September. Instead, we must expeditiously pass our legislation through the Senate and do everything within our power to help small businesses drive economic recovery.'

Details of the full Senate hearing are yet to emerge. Meanwhile, provisional programmes for WIPO's forum can be found at www.wipo.org.

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