In Nomkhosi Madwe's presentation on the Act and new Regulations, of note was mention of the fact that SMMEs can be 'Recipients' in terms of the Act and so become the owners of IP from publicly funded programmes. This is important for funding initiatives such as those coming out of the Department of Trade and Industry (SPII and THRIP), where an HEI could be subcontracted to conduct research for the SMME, but the SMME would retain all of the IP. The latter will be very useful for UCT's ongoing support of SMMEs in South Africa. Details around this will only be available when the Act has been promulgated.
An interim arrangement has been put in place ahead of the formal establishment of the National IP Management Office (NIPMO) following the promulagtion of the Act
