The second World Invention and Innovation Forum conference was held in Foshan, China, November 23-25 in 2017

The main topics for the conference were:

• AI - Artificial intelligence
• Civil-military integration
• Commercialization of inventions
• International technology transfer services
• Policies for innovation from science and research
• Youth innovative education
• Visions of future science and technology
• What are the leading trends in inventing and innovating?

The conference saw visitors from more than 40 countries, with more than 850 exhibitors and 1065 participating companies.

From the Swedish delegation, Mr Lennart Nilsson representing SUF - the Swedish Inventors Association, and Mr Örjan Strandberg, spokesperson for the Swedish National Innovators Council, were invited to speak at this 3-day conference.

Lennart Nilsson's lecture was about the Technology Transfer Center - TTC - developed on behalf of IFIA to be administrated in Stockholm as a resource for innovators, inventors, financiers, manufacturers, importers and potential business partners from close to 100 countries to efficiently connect, for collaborations and team building.

Örjan Strandberg's speech described how research, business and society becomes increasingly aware that serial creativity is a distinctively individual talent, rather than emerged from institutions or universities. And that it is therefore important for companies and societies to identify and nurture those serially creative individuals. Perhaps a slightly new approach for a country like China, with its collectivist viewpoint.

The Chinese organizer of this year's WIIF is CAI, the Chinese Association of Inventions - China's National Inventors Association. Like the Chinese economy at large, CAI also signs many international cooperation and exchange agreements. One such agreement is made with STIK, Stockholm's Innovators Association, through which the Swedish association will assist CAI with education in the innovation process and in 'associational democracy', but also with innovation exchange between China and Sweden.

Contacts were also made between the Swedish National Innovators Council and the representative of the American NAI - National Academy of Inventors, mr Robert V Duncan, on possible the formation of a North American innovators council, for cooperation with Sweden and other countries.