[The IPKat] Saturday Sundries
Claire Gregg
Saturday Sundries
Dr Claire Gregg Saturday, January 03, 2026 - Claire Gregg, miscellany post, OzKat, Saturday Sundries
Happy New Year, readers – can you believe it's 2026!?
Ring in the new year with the latest IP events, news and opportunities. And don't forget to stay tuned into the IPKat Events page to keep up to date with what's happening in 2026.
Events
Tech & Innovation Patent Litigation Summit
The first Kisaco Tech & Innovation Patent Litigation Summit will be held in Amsterdam from 19-21 January 2026, alongside the Pharma & Biotech Patent Litigation Summit. This new event will cover issues ranging from AI, SEP & FRAND enforcement, interim licensing, trade secrets and injunctions, and is targeted to patent litigators, in-house counsel, and IP strategists operating at the cutting edge of sectors like telecommunications, consumer tech, med-tech, NPEs, and automotive/mobility. Find out more and register here.
CIPA Student Induction Day 2026
On 22 January 2026, CIPA is hosting a Student Induction Day, offering new trainees an invaluable introduction to the patent profession, equipping them with essential knowledge, practical insights, and the opportunity to begin building meaningful connections within the industry. Find out more and register here.
The future of women in STEM
On 3 March 2026, the EPO is hosting a webinar on the future of women on STEM. While more women are entering STEM fields at university, few progress to senior research and leadership positions, found startups and patent inventions. This online event will explore the role of women in STEM in Europe, highlighting progress made, gaps that remain and the solutions needed to overcome the challenges ahead. Register here.
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New Year Kat |
News
Accelerated examination under the EPO PACE programme
As of 1 February 2026, the EPO will limit its Programme for Accelerated Prosecution of European Patent Applications (PACE) exclusively to the examination stage. This change is intended to ensure that the EPO’s expertise and efforts are focused on the stage where they can make the biggest difference to overall processing time. Find out more here.
Opportunities
WIPO Global Awards 2026
The countdown has begun for the WIPO Global Awards 2026! Every year, the WIPO Global Awards celebrate small businesses and startups that use IP to transform ideas into successful ventures and create positive impact across society. This year, a new prize has been added reflecting this year’s World IP Day theme: Sports. Applications for the 2026 edition will open on 15 January 2026.
SERCI 23rd Annual Congress - call for papers
The Society for Economic Research on Copyright Issues (SERCI) is holding its 23rd Annual Congress on 6-7 July 2026 in Amsterdam, at the Amsterdam Law School, University of Amsterdam. SERCI is now inviting submissions of papers to be presented at the congress, which should be sent as an attachment to cong...@serci.org by 15 April 2025. Find out more here.
Munich Summer Institute 2026 - call for papers
From 20-22 May 2026, Cornell University, ETH Zurich, Imperial College London, Ludwig Maximilians University, the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, the Technical University Munich, and the University of Lausanne will jointly organize the tenth Munich Summer Institute 2026. The Summer Institute focuses on quantitative empirical research in the areas of: Digitalization, Strategy and Organization; Innovation and Entrepreneurship; and Law & Economics of Intellectual Property, Innovation & Digitalization. Researchers who would like to present a paper are invited to submit their paper online by 8 February 2026, at http://editorialexpress.com/conference/msi2026. Find out more here.
Online Courses
Assimilate IP – Online Courses on Intellectual Property
Assimilate IP will be hosting the following online courses in 2026. Assimilate IP has kindly offered Katfriends a 10% discount on the registration fee by mentioning “IPKat” when registering. Find out more and register here.
· Protecting Confidential Information, Trade Secrets and Know How - 21 January 2026
· Patent and Know How Licensing - 18-19 February 2026
· IP Essentials: AI, Patents and Trade Secrets - 4 March 2026
· Patent Masterclass for Chemists and Biologists - 18-19 March 2026
· Patents & Freedom to Operate for Chemists and Biologists - 22-23 April 2026
· Intellectual Property for Commercial Lawyers - 13-14 May 2026
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