Every year on April 26, World Intellectual Property Day is celebrated globally to recognize innovators in all fields, and how technological innovation plays a key role in shaping the world.
This year’s theme, “Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity”, shines the spotlight on how talented women have always played and continue to play a critical role in creating inventions, often in the face of additional challenges.
2023 World IP Day is a reminder that when innovation and creative opportunities are inclusive and embrace diverse perspectives, everyone benefits. For more than a century, ARaymond has been embracing and supporting the ideas and contributions of its employees, including many female innovators in its ranks.
In honor of this year’s World IP Day, Anaїs Deplan, Design Engineer at ARaymond Fluid Connection, who has achieved success in the world of IP, shares her insights in a Q&A:
Q: Hello Anaїs Deplan. Thanks for talking with us about your past and current successes in IP. Since when have you been getting patents approved at ARaymond?
A: I have been working as a Design Engineer in the Quick Connector world at ARaymond for more than a decade. My first patent was earned back in 2013 and my latest one was published in 2021.
Q: What is the process like to create these kinds of innovations in your field, and what part did you find most rewarding along the way?
A: To start the process we check existing patents, brainstorm as a team, to find new ways to improve on them. We have various criteria for defining what we go ahead and design. When we work on design, we work 3-D simulations and go through multiple meetings and review processes before getting to the final design. Brainstorming is the part I enjoy most as it’s both collective and creative. I also enjoy the steps in the process that involve modeling the new patents through 3-D software.
Q: This year’s theme for World IP Day is “Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity”. Tell us what you think women bring to the table in terms of creativity and skills that can help develop new inventions and IP?
A: We all have different ways of working and thinking. In my case not just because I’m a woman, but because of my human experience more globally. Everyone contributing to the creative process has different life and educational backgrounds which means everyone brings their own unique perspective to the table. This diversity of contributions is what makes for both an interesting and constructive creative process.
Q: What barriers do you see facing women who are looking to achieve success with their own inventions?
A: There are some barriers, the biggest being in education. We need to let all children know from an early age that education is important and there are no limits on the jobs anyone can do. The message should be that no job is only for women or only for men. We should encourage young women to pursue any career they like, including those in science and technology. We should broaden the horizons of all young people to ensure a more equal flow of both boys and girls into the science and technology fields.
Q: What advice would you give to women who want to pursue your path?
A: It won’t be easy, but they should stay focused on their dreams. Everything is possible If it’s what they want to achieve.
Q: How does ARaymond support its team members who are looking to develop new IP?
A: ARaymond has a very large IP department and full of resources. Innovation is important to the company and has been since it was founded over 155 years ago. The leadership has our backs and encourages us to pursue patents and finalize innovative products that will help push our fastening and assembly systems to the next level. ARaymond has a specific innovation department, but unique and innovative approaches are encouraged in all departments throughout the company, so we really get the opportunity to express our difference, and ourselves as women too.