Applications Open for Africa IP Day 2026 for Entrepreneurs and Innovators
African entrepreneurs, innovators, creators and businesses with compelling intellectual property success stories are being invited to participate in the 2026 Africa Intellectual Property Day (AIPD) “My IP Story” initiative.
The initiative provides a platform for African businesses and innovators to share how intellectual property (IP) has helped them protect ideas, create value, strengthen their brands, commercialise innovations or grow their businesses.
The 2026 edition is being held under the theme “Growing Business Under the AfCFTA IP Ecosystem”, linking intellectual property with the opportunities emerging from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Who Can Participate?
The opportunity is open to African individuals and institutions with genuine experiences of using intellectual property to develop a business, innovation or initiative.
Potential participants include:
- Entrepreneurs and business owners
- Startup founders
- Innovators and inventors
- Creators and creative businesses
- Researchers and technology developers
- Institutions and organisations
- Businesses that have used IP to protect or commercialise their ideas
The initiative is particularly relevant to entrepreneurs whose intellectual property has played a role in brand building, innovation protection, commercialisation, market expansion or value creation.
What Is “My IP Story”?
Rather than submitting a conventional written application, participants are expected to tell their intellectual property journey through a video of no more than five minutes.
The story should introduce the participant and explain the business or innovation, identify the intellectual property right involved and demonstrate how IP has contributed to the venture’s development.
Participants are also expected to discuss how the emerging AfCFTA intellectual property rights ecosystem could further support their businesses and create opportunities for future growth.
What Should the Video Cover?
A strong submission should address key questions around the participant’s IP journey, including:
- How has intellectual property helped create value?
- Which intellectual property right have you used?
- How has the IP benefited your business or innovation?
- What impact has IP had on your growth?
- Are you aware of the AfCFTA?
- How could the AfCFTA IP ecosystem enhance your business?
The organisers are looking for authentic, real-life experiences, rather than theoretical explanations of intellectual property.
Why IP Matters for African Businesses
For many startups and small businesses, intellectual property can be one of their most valuable assets.
Trademarks can help businesses build and protect their brands, while patents, copyrights and industrial designs can help safeguard innovations, creative works and unique products.
A strong IP strategy can also help businesses establish competitive advantages, support commercialisation and make ventures more attractive to potential investors and partners.
This is particularly important as African businesses increasingly look beyond their domestic markets and explore opportunities created by the AfCFTA.
The continent-wide trade framework is designed to deepen economic integration and create a larger single market, making the protection and commercial use of intellectual property increasingly important for businesses seeking to expand across African borders.
Submission Requirements
Participants should ensure their videos comply with the programme’s guidelines.
The submission must:
- Be a maximum of five minutes long.
- Clearly identify the storyteller.
- Explain the participant’s country of origin.
- Describe the role of intellectual property in creating value.
- Identify the relevant IP right.
- Explain the benefits generated by the IP.
- Address awareness of AfCFTA.
- Explain how the AfCFTA IP ecosystem could support future business growth.
The submission guidelines also require participants to appropriately identify any song or voice used in their videos. The story should be presented in an African Union language.
Deadline
The deadline for submissions is August 31, 2026.
African entrepreneurs, innovators, creators and businesses with an IP success story are encouraged to prepare their videos and submit before the deadline.
The initiative offers participants an opportunity not only to showcase their businesses and innovations, but also to demonstrate how intellectual property can contribute to business growth, competitiveness and economic opportunities across Africa.
Interested participants should review the submission requirements and complete the official “My IP Story” submission before August 31, 2026.
