In a compelling interview for the PatENT project, Shalini Sitaraman Menezes, founder of Patented.Network and partner at Menezes Gaonkar LLP, shares her insights on demystifying the patenting process for migrants and refugees across Europe. With a diverse background in physics, biophysics and intellectual property law, Shalini has spent over 15 years making intellectual property (IP) more accessible and relevant to underrepresented communities.
She uses storytelling as a strategic tool to bring patenting closer to the people it often excludes. By connecting with the lived experiences of migrants, she makes the often complex and technical world of IP more understandable and empowering. Her approach does not just explain the process – it encourages people to see their ideas as worth protecting and sharing.
Through platforms like Patented.Network, Shalini supports the listing, acquisition, sale and valuation of patents, providing real entry points for migrants to turn their ideas into protected innovations. Her work highlights the importance of inclusive innovation, where migrant contributions are recognised as part of the broader European and global economy.
This interview, acts as an extended initiative – continuing the spirit and objectives of the project in both time and geography. It reinforces the project’s core values of accessibility, empowerment and sustainability by keeping the conversation alive and relevant.
