A milestone event took place at the DesignThinkers Academy Global Headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherlands last 8 October 2024, as Ateneo de Manila University through the Ateneo Intellectual Property Office (AIPO) and DesignThinkers Asia (DTA) ceremonially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for their strategic partnership. This agreement marks a significant step toward enhancing collaboration in the fields of intellectual property (IP), design thinking, and innovation.
Representing Ateneo de Manila University in the ceremony were Steve Chaves, Head of the Ideation Support Group, and Mariela Alcaparas, Program Development Officer of AIPO. On behalf of DTA, the MOU was signed by Daryl Lim, CEO and co-founder, alongside Rosemary Phan, Chief Partnerships Officer. The event was also witnessed and validated by Tim Schuurman, Co-Owner of DesignThinkers Global, and Jeroen van der Weide, Partner at DesignThinkers Global, along with global partners from Australia & New Zealand, Brazil, China, Hong Kong SAR, and South Africa.
The MOU establishes a strategic framework that focuses on key areas such as education and capacity development, research and innovation, incubation and acceleration programs, and community outreach. By combining the strengths and expertise of both AIPO and DTA, the partnership has been designed to deliver comprehensive solutions including but not limited to design thinking workshops, events, and innovation contests, that cater to clients' diverse learning and development needs. This collaboration also aims to promote intellectual property awareness and development by incorporating design thinking principles and practices into the design and innovation processes.
Through this partnership, AIPO and DTA will provide enhanced support to entrepreneurs, startups, and innovators across various institutions beginning in early 2025, empowering them with the tools and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s competitive landscape. The collaboration is a shared commitment to fostering creativity, advancing innovation, and facilitating the commercialization of groundbreaking ideas, reaffirming AIPO's dedication to driving initiatives at Ateneo through the support of the generation, protection, and commercialization of sustainable and innovative ideas while leveraging DTA’s expertise as a global leader in design-driven transformation.
Interested in how Design Thinking can help you or your team? Contact AIPO at aipo@ateneo.edu.
You may also follow their social media for the latest news and updates: fb.com/ateneoipo or linkedin.com/company/ateneoipo.
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