Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are spreading across the world faster than ever. However, the adoption of technology does not necessarily mean that a country has the knowledge and capabilities needed to adapt, further develop and use it to create new solutions.
TalTech Technology Transfer Office invites you to a seminar on 18 September, where WIPO expert María de las Mercedes Menéndez will present the latest findings of the World Intellectual Property Report 2026 and explore the links between artificial intelligence, technological development and innovation capabilities.
The seminar will examine why a significant gap remains between technology adoption and the creation of new knowledge, and which capabilities enable countries to benefit economically and socially from emerging technologies.
The seminar will focus on three WIPO perspectives:
- World Intellectual Property Report 2026 – how AI and other emerging technologies are spreading globally and the gap between technology adoption and knowledge absorption.
- Innovation Capabilities Outlook 2026 – the scientific, technological, entrepreneurial and production capabilities that shape countries’ ability to participate in technological change.
- Innovation Capabilities Navigator – WIPO’s new analytical tool for mapping a country’s innovation ecosystem and identifying its strengths, connections and untapped opportunities.
Using Estonia as a case study, María de las Mercedes Menéndez will demonstrate how the Navigator can be used to analyse the country’s innovation ecosystem and identify areas with potential for technological development and diversification.
Speaker
María de las Mercedes Menéndez is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Innovation Economy Section of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Her research focuses on technological change and productive specialization in the context of the green and digital transition, including artificial intelligence and green technologies. She holds a PhD from UNU-MERIT and Maastricht University.
When, where and how to register?
📅 18 September 2026
🕑 14:00-15:00
📍 TalTech School of Business and Governance, room SOC-308
🌐 The seminar will be held in English and is available on-site only.
🎟️ Seats are limited.
If you have registered but are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible at [email protected] so that we can offer your seat to someone on the waiting list.