CIPC Announces the IP Youth Awards: Celebrating and Empowering Young Innovators

The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) has announced the inaugural CIPC IP Youth Awards. These awards celebrate and recognise the intellectual property talents of young South African innovators. The participants are between the ages of 15 and 28. The CIPC IP Youth Awards showcase the importance of intellectual property. They foster creativity and innovation. The awards also support young individuals to achieve their full potential.

Award Categories

The CIPC IP Youth Awards invites young creators, entrepreneurs, and inventors to submit entries of their innovations within the following 6 categories:

• Inventions Focused on New Technology to Support the Sustainable Development Goals – Innovations addressing global challenges and promoting sustainability.
• Inventions Focused on Copyright-Protected Creative Works – Recognising excellence in creative outputs, from arts to digital media.
• Innovative Solutions for Managing Confiscated Counterfeit Goods – Celebrating ideas that tackle counterfeit management and contribute to a fair market.
• SMME Excellence in Innovation Focused on the Effective Use of Intellectual Property Rights. This highlights the outstanding achievements of small, medium, and micro enterprises in leveraging IP.
• CIPC National Award for Schoolchildren (Aged 15–18) – This is a special category. It encourages and rewards school-aged innovators for their creativity in any of the above fields.
• CIPC National Award for Women in IP – Recognising and celebrating the contributions of women to intellectual property and innovation.

Application Criteria

To be considered for the CIPC IP Youth Awards, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Must be between the ages of 15 and 28
• Originality: The innovation or creative work must be unique and demonstrate originality.
• Impact: Submissions should showcase measurable or potential societal, environmental, or economic benefits.
• Alignment: The entry must align with the specific goals of the selected award category.
• Protection: Innovations must be protected by intellectual property rights (e.g., patents, copyrights, trademarks, or designs). Proof of IP registration or pending registration is required.
• Presentation: A clear and concise presentation of the innovation, including supporting documentation such as prototypes, designs, or media samples, must be included.

How to Apply

Submitting your entry is simple:

• Visit the official website at www.cipcipyouthawards.co.za.
• Complete the application form and upload your supporting documents.

The deadline for submissions is 3 March 2025. Winners will be announced at an exclusive gala dinner to be held in Johannesburg on 27 March 2025.

“As CIPC we are thrilled to celebrate the remarkable talents and innovative young people, the CIPC IP Youth Awards is testament to the power of creativity and the important responsibility we have been entrusted with, of protecting it. Today’s young people are our future leaders, therefore they are not only shaping the trajectory of intellectual property, but most importantly they are paving the way for a more innovative, creative and inclusive society. We are setting a stage to not only unleash their great potential but to also offer launch pad for successful businesses of young innovators” – Advocate Rory Voller, CIPC Commissioner.