Shanghai has been named one of the winners of the inaugural World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) City of Innovation award, announced on Monday. The recognition highlights the city’s effective use of intellectual property (IP) rights to foster innovation, protect ideas, and promote the scaling of solutions. Shanghai was selected alongside Liverpool in the United Kingdom and Charleroi in Belgium from a pool of 15 finalist cities.
An independent international jury awarded Shanghai for its efforts in expanding IP education and services, opening innovation infrastructure and data, supporting cultural and creative industries, and enhancing collaboration among research institutions, industry, entrepreneurs, and investors. These initiatives are seen as key components in building a robust ecosystem that drives innovation.
Daren Tang, director-general of WIPO, emphasized the growing importance of cities in global innovation, noting that more than half of the world’s population currently lives in urban areas—a number that is expected to rise to 70 percent by 2050. He highlighted how cities bring together diverse talents and ideas, fostering environments where IP rights play a critical role in protecting inventions and enabling innovative solutions to develop from concepts into real-world applications.
Zhou Yaming, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, described the award as a significant acknowledgement of Shanghai’s progress in innovation as well as its efforts to cultivate a vibrant IP ecosystem. Zhou also noted that the honor reflects broader international recognition of China’s dedication to open innovation, mutual benefits, and shared success.
The response from multinational companies operating in Shanghai has been positive, with leaders praising the city’s rapid pace of innovation. Stefan Paul, CEO of Swiss logistics firm Kuehne+Nagel, commented that Shanghai epitomizes China’s ongoing technological advancement, particularly in terms of digitalization and automation, and described its innovation dynamics as “second to none.”
The City of Innovation award represents WIPO’s initiative to recognize urban centers that effectively harness intellectual property as a tool for sustainable development and economic growth within increasingly urbanized populations worldwide.