Last Modified:2026.02.17.
From Idea to Value,
from Value to Future
Conference and Gala Event on the Occasion of the
130th Anniversary of the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office
From Idea to Value, from Value to Future
3 March 2026, 9:30–16:00, Museum of Ethnography
1146 Budapest, Dózsa György út 35.
- 9:00 – 9:30 – Arrival and registration
- 9:30 – 9:55 – Opening and welcome speeches
• Mr Szabolcs Farkas
President, Hungarian Intellectual Property Office
• Mr László Bódis
Deputy State Secretary for Innovation, Ministry of Culture and Innovation
• Mr Daren Tang
Director General, World Intellectual Property Organization
• Mr João Negrão
Executive Director, European Union Intellectual Property Office
• Mr António Campinos
President, European Patent Office
Section I: Building a future on longstanding traditions
- 9:55 – 10:40 – Roundtable discussion: The future of our IP ecosystem in the 21st century
Moderator: Mr Szabolcs Farkas
President, Hungarian Intellectual Property Office
• Mr Daren Tang
Director General, World Intellectual Property Organization
• Mr João Negrão
Executive Director, European Union Intellectual Property Office
• Mr António Campinos
President, European Patent Office
The panel discussion invites participants on an inspiring, forward-looking journey, where leaders of global and European IP organisations share their visions within the broader context of the IP ecosystem.
The discussion explores how the role of innovation and intellectual property may evolve, what the future holds for IP offices, and how technological breakthroughs could shape regional and global IP systems and their coexistence. - 10:40 – 11:00 – Coffee break
- 11:00 – 11:45 - The role of national IP offices in the era of globalisation
Moderator: Mr Péter Lábody
Vice President for Legal and International Affairs, Hungarian Intellectual Property Office
• Mr Adam Williams
Chief Executive Officer and Comptroller General, UK Intellectual Property Office
• Mr Szabolcs Farkas
President, Hungarian Intellectual Property Office
• Mr Stefan Harasek
President, Austrian Patent Office
• Ms Elisa Rodríguez Ortiz
President, Spanish Patent and Trademark Office
• Ms Ana Margarida Bandeira
President, Directive Council of the Portuguese Institute of Industrial Property (INPI)
The panel brings together the heads of intellectual property offices of different sizes, cultural backgrounds, and operational structures to discuss, from multiple perspectives, the defining characteristics of modern, 21st-century IP offices.
The discussion focuses on digital transformation, the use of artificial intelligence, emerging IP office functions, the enhancement of customer experience, and best practices in international cooperation.
The panel seeks to explore how national IP offices envision their own future and what role these institutions may play in the years ahead.
Section II: New functions in a changing IP environment
- 11:45 – 12:15 – IP valuation and IP-backed financing - the value of intangible assets
Speakers:
Ms Barbara Koncz
partner, Pwc Hungary
Ms Vivien Róka
M&A Director, PwC Hungary
The presentation focuses on how intellectual property can become a measurable, assessable asset that serves as collateral for financing. It examines the role of IP valuation and explores the future potential of IP-based financial solutions. - 12:15 – 12:55 – Alternative dispute resolution in IP
Moderator: Mr Constantin-Adi Gavrilă
Mediator and mediation trainer, Co-founder and CEO of ADR Center Romania
• Mr Sven Stürmann
President, Boards of Appeal, European Intellectual Property Office and internationally accredited mediator
• Ms Vita Kiriliauskaitė
Director, State Patent Bureau of the Republic of Lithuania
• Mr Andrzej Gadkowski
Legal Officer, IP Disputes Section, WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center
How is alternative dispute resolution becoming an increasingly important element of the IP ecosystem? The discussion presents international and national examples to illustrate the role IP offices can play in effective, swift, and cooperation-based conflict resolution. - 13:00 – 14:30 – Lunch
- 14:30 – 15:10 – Presidential stories firsthand
Moderator: Mr Mihály Ficsor
Principal Director, Principal Directorate Legal Affairs, European Patent Office
Former Vice President, Hungarian Intellectual Property Office
• Mr Szabolcs Farkas
President, Hungarian Intellectual Property Office
• Mr Miklós Bendzsel
Former President, Hungarian Intellectual Property Office
• Mr Gyula Pomázi
Former President, Hungarian Intellectual Property Office
• Mr Viktor Łuszcz
Former President, Hungarian Intellectual Property Office
What did the former National Invention Office and the later Hungarian Patent Office represent, and what is the path that has led to the formation of the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office? Former and current presidents of the Office share their personal perspectives on the institution’s defining moments, key challenges, and the small yet memorable events that have become part of its history over time. Through their personal stories, the leaders reflect on the most significant transformations and memorable milestones, moments they still look back on with pride and fondness today. -
15:10 – 15:50 – Inventions, Power and the Economy – Patents in the Grand Games of World History
Speaker: Zoltán Pogátsa
Economist, sociologist, and expert in international political economy
In this engaging and entertaining lecture, Zoltán Pogátsa takes the audience on a journey through economic history, showing how inventions—and the presence or absence of patent protection—have shaped different eras and global turning points.
Through compelling stories, landmark cases and power struggles between states, the presentation explores the evolving relationship between Europe, China and the world economy. Each story reveals a distinct intellectual property perspective, highlighting the economic importance of IP protection in long-term development. Vintage slides, surprising insights and a “big personalities” storytelling style ensure that the lessons of the past speak clearly to the challenges of the present and the future. - 15:50 – 16:00 – Closing of the conference
Gala Dinner and the Jedlik Ányos Awards Ceremony
3 March 2026, 19:00, Museum of Fine Arts
1146 Budapest, Dózsa György út 41.
For further information, please contact the organizers:
hipo130@hipo.gov.hu