Recognizing Informal Sector Innovation: Implications for Traditional Knowledge Development in Africa

In 2012, a civil society group called the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), raised concerns about a draft Africa Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) plant variety protection protocol. AFSA was concerned,

7 Ways that African States are Legitimizing Artificial Intelligence

By Jake Okechukwu Effoduh Several reports on States’ adoption of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) across the world have indicated that African countries have a “slow” or...

RECONCILIATION, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, AND INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

TRC AND UNDRIP AS A HISTORIC MILESTONE In this year’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (TRC), ABS Canada reflects on the critical intersection of Reconciliation, Intellectual...

40th WIPO IGC: Mixed Impressions as Experts Seek a New Mandate

By Chidi Oguamanam, cross-posted from ABS Canada. Pre-session Strategy Meetings Experts and delegates gathered in Geneva for the 40th session of the WIPO IGC, which commenced on...

Africa’s Maker Movement: An Overview of Ongoing Research

Makerspaces are places where people gather to build projects, learn new technologies, and develop entrepreneurial opportunities. Open AIR is conducting research on makerspaces across the African continent.

Innovation ouverte en contexte académique à Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

Par Ahou Rachel KOUMI Ce blogpost est la deuxième partie d’une série de deux blogs sur les Journées de l’Innovation en Contexte Académique réalisées du 19...

Makerspaces and Creativity

Looking back at Open AIR’s ‘Making’ Innovation Happen roundtable By Sean Boots In mid August, Open AIR hosted a roundtable discussion on makerspaces and innovation hubs in...

Integrating Gender Perspectives into African Innovation Research

Gender inequality remains the reality in every country. Including and targeting women and girls in development greatly increases the likelihood of an initiative’s success.

The absence of gender analysis in AI and its implications for...

By Akkila Thirukesan Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been an exciting tool for development across the continent of Africa. But what does AI have to do with...

Professor Carys Craig Infuses the Open Access Movement with Feminism at...

Is intellectual property (IP) gender neutral? No. Neither is the dominant discourse on innovation. Recognizing this bias is the first step toward remedying it.