WIPO has entered a new six-year term under Director General Daren Tang, and a new "Postcard from WIPO" series aims to keep the U.S. intellectual property community informed about developments in Geneva. The first postcard, written by Deputy Director General Laura Peter, highlights Tang's agenda: making the global IP system more accessible, strengthening WIPO's international services, and preparing the system for the technologies and innovators of the future.
The postcard also offers a snapshot of U.S. standing in the 2026 Global Innovation Index. The United States ranks third overall, behind Switzerland and Sweden, and leads in market sophistication while placing second in business sophistication. It is home to 20 of the world's top 100 science and technology clusters, with San Jose–San Francisco ranking third globally. The index also flags areas for improvement, including labor productivity and infrastructure investment.
Looking ahead, WIPO's fall calendar includes the first WIPO City of Innovation award on October 12, followed by an October 12–13 seminar on standard-essential patents and dispute resolution, covering FRAND licensing and alternative dispute resolution. A Global Forum on Intellectual Property and Artificial Intelligence is set for November 9–10, and the IP Finance Dialogue on November 24 will examine how IP is being turned into a bankable asset through valuation, liquidity, and risk-sharing mechanisms.