GIPA responds to COVID-19

In this challenging time, GIPA stands ready to aid in the demise of Covid-19 by helping creators move innovation to market faster

Dear IP Colleague,

As we face a truly unprecedented situation with the global pandemic, the Georgia Intellectual Property Alliance (GIPA) wanted to reach out and update you on how we are approaching the situation.

We believe that we are uniquely positioned to provide the leadership, resources, and advocacy needed to empower Georgia creators, protectors, and enablers to advance society. As an organization, GIPA can rally the resources needed to help move the ideas of creators into the production facilities of manufacturers in order to deliver solutions to promote the economic and social well-being of every citizen of Georgia. This is why GIPA was formed – for this time and for this purpose.

We recognize that this virus is causing significant hardship on many people and business in Georgia and around the world, impacting their health, family, and livelihood both directly and indirectly. We are grateful to those that are considered essential businesses and their employees for their selfless efforts to care for people in need and sustain access to basic needs.

We are also focused on the health and safety of the creators, protectors, and enablers of the intellectual property ecosystem in Georgia and around the world. In the interest of helping #flattenthecurve, we are postponing upcoming GIPA-sponsored events and exploring how we should modify our program, including exploring virtual events.

As well, we want to keep all the things you, your firms, companies, universities, and organizations are doing to help during the crisis front and center on social media. This includes keeping the IP community connected, especially with the important work being done by our colleagues to get us through the crisis. Please let us know if there is specific work your organization is doing to overcome COVID-19 or to get us through the crisis. We will be looking online for all participants to find content to share, but we welcome your suggestions.

COVID-19 is the extreme example of a “black swan” disruption -- an event that comes as a surprise, has a major effect, and is rationalized by hindsight as if it could have been expected. In the wake of this type of disruption, there is a unique opportunity for the intellectual property ecosystem to come together to accelerate the innovation process in Georgia – the process of moving an idea to enablement to delivery of much needed solution to the citizens of Georgia.
 
Individual creators, research scientists, entrepreneurs, and businesses of all sizes struggle with how to quickly and efficiently move an idea to a reality, facing numerous points of friction in how to both protect and share that “innovation” – all while navigating a labyrinth of complex and rapidly evolving intellectual property laws.

GIPA is committed to taking as much “friction” out of the innovation pathway as possible to accelerate turning new ideas into actionable diagnostics, vaccinations, therapeutics, and equipment.  All of the law firms and other intellectual property experts that are members of GIPA stand ready to help you turn your ideas into much needed solutions.

In the coming days, weeks, and months, we stand ready to support our communities.  Please contact us if you think we can be of help to you.