Kenyan entertainment start-up YAKWETU™ finalists for WIPO Global Awards
In an exciting development, YAKWETU™ Online Limited, a Kenyan entertainment technology start-up, has emerged as one of the 25 finalists for this year’s highly esteemed WIPO Global Awards, organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
YAKWETU™ is being recognized for its exceptional use of intellectual property (IP) to impact positively domestically and internationally through its streaming app, MyMovies.Africa.
Mike Strano, the Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer, told Nairobi News, “Respect for IP is fundamental to everything we do as YAKWETU™, where we license via agreement, protect via strict content handling and encryption, and monetize via distribution and/or retail.”
He believes their expertise in transparent IP management has been instrumental in their success.
Trushna Buddhdev-Patel, Co-Founder, Content Director and Chief Executive Officer, noted, “We are thrilled to be recognised for our work in content protection (Anti-Piracy) and monetisation, via our first proprietary retail service, MyMovies.Africa™, which securely encrypts animations, documentaries, features and shorts from Africa, before making them available to rent or own to our customers worldwide.”
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Now in its second year, the WIPO Global Awards celebrate small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) worldwide that effectively utilize IP to drive innovation and create a positive societal impact.
This year, WIPO received an impressive 548 submissions from 58 countries, spanning various sectors such as creative industries, food, green energy technologies, and healthcare.
Out of the 25 finalists, YAKWETU™ represents Kenya and joins companies from 16 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Latin America. Notably, China, with its strong presence in IP-driven entrepreneurship, accounts for six of the finalists.
This recent accolade builds upon the company’s previous achievement as a selected participant in the 2nd cohort of the Next Innovation with Japan (NINJA) Accelerator in Kenya. The company successfully launched its fundraising campaign in January 2022.
The WIPO Global Awards 2023 winners will be publicly announced during a live webcast awards ceremony on July 11 in Geneva, Switzerland.
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