"But help is at hand. To encourage start-ups to register and protect their IP, Microsoft's 4Afrika initiative has begun a free service to help developers with the process and put lawyers at their disposal if they need to protect their patents.
Microsoft is experimenting with the program in Kenya and hopes to also develop it elsewhere on the continent.
Gaelyn Scott, head of the IP department at ENS, said there were signs of greater respect being shown for patents in Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Namibia."
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