Innovation thrives in the open—or does it? Huawei’s 6th Innovation and IP Forum boldly tackled this question, sparking a global conversation on how openness and intellectual property (IP) protection can fuel technological and social progress. Held on November 11, 2025, the event wasn’t just a gathering; it was a declaration of Huawei’s commitment to open innovation, highlighted by the announcement of its biannual "Top Ten Inventions" award winners. But here’s where it gets controversial: Can true innovation coexist with stringent IP protection? Let’s dive in.
"Open innovation is in our DNA," declared Liuping Song, Huawei’s Chief Legal Officer. The company’s approach is twofold: respecting others’ IP while fiercely safeguarding its own—patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets included. In 2024, Huawei’s patent licensing revenue hit US$630 million, yet the royalties it paid out over the years were nearly triple what it received. This raises a thought-provoking question: Is Huawei’s IP strategy a model for balancing innovation and fairness, or does it tilt the scales?
Marco Alemán, Assistant Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), praised Huawei as a global innovation leader, noting its 6,600 Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications in 2024—the most since 2014. Meanwhile, Etienne Sanz de Acedo, CEO of the International Trademark Association, reminded us that IP is the universal language of innovation, translating creativity into tangible value. But is this value equally accessible to all, or does it favor industry giants?
Ningling Wang, President-elect of the Licensing Executives Society International, urged collaboration and responsible licensing. Yet, as Huawei unveiled its Top Ten Inventions—spanning computing, HarmonyOS, and storage—one wonders: How accessible are these breakthroughs to smaller players in the tech ecosystem?
Alan Fan, Huawei’s VP of Intellectual Property Rights, highlighted the company’s contributions: 37,000 patents published in 2024, over 10,000 technical contributions to standards organizations, and 1,000+ academic papers. Open-source projects like OpenHarmony and openEuler also saw massive growth. But here’s the part most people miss: By 2024, 48 Fortune Global 500 companies were Huawei licensees, either directly or indirectly. Is this dominance a sign of success or a barrier to entry for others?
Heiwai Tang, Associate Vice-President of the University of Hong Kong, praised Huawei’s adherence to international IP norms, calling it essential for a healthy business ecosystem. Yet, the launch of Huawei’s Chaspark Patent site in 2024—a free platform for patent searches—raises another question: Is this a genuine effort to democratize access, or a strategic move to solidify its IP leadership?
Guest speakers like Yali Zhu (PatSnap China), Qi Wang (Clarivate), Mattia Fogliacco (Sisvel), and Laurie Fitzgerald (Avanci Vehicle) shared insights, but the underlying tension remained: How do we ensure open innovation benefits everyone, not just the pioneers?
Song concluded with a call to protect innovation and IP collaboratively. But as we reflect on Huawei’s achievements, we must ask: Is the current IP system truly fostering equality in innovation, or is it widening the gap? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s spark a debate!
