The UN Has a Responsibility to Support an Irreplaceable Innovation for a Globally Critical Industry
An open call for neutral institutional support to deliver life-saving automation to vulnerable communities worldwide.
1. What Is Rub-X?
Rub-X is a low-cost, terrain-adaptable, and verified automation system for natural rubber harvesting — designed specifically to address health, labor, and sustainability crises affecting millions of rubber tappers in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Unlike industrial machines, Rub-X enables decentralized use on any terrain and was developed independently without state funding.
2. Why Hosting Matters
To ensure Rub-X reaches the people who need it most, we are seeking neutral custodianship and global validation through UN bodies or equivalent institutions. Commercial paths are structurally misaligned with the humanitarian and environmental goals of this system.
3. Call to the United Nations
Response to the Claim: “As a UN Specialized Agency, WIPO Primarily Engages with Governments and National IP Offices”
1. WIPO’s Global Mandate Goes Beyond Governments
WIPO's mission is to promote innovation and creativity worldwide. This must include grassroots and life-saving technologies that emerge outside government channels.
2. WIPO Already Works with Non-Governmental Actors
Platforms like WIPO GREEN, the Arbitration and Mediation Center, and TISC demonstrate WIPO’s capacity to support private inventors and academic innovators. Rub-X is already listed on WIPO GREEN.
3. Rub-X Solves a Global Industry Problem
The lack of safe, affordable automation in rubber harvesting is a global labor and sustainability crisis. Rub-X is the only known verified solution.
4. Independently Developed, Widely Recognized, Without Government Support
Rub-X was built without public funding, and has received global expert validation.
5. Rejecting Engagement Undermines WIPO’s Credibility
Bureaucratic inaction would contradict the agency’s mission and allow preventable harm to continue.
6. A Call to Act
We urge WIPO and the UN system to treat Rub-X as a benchmark case for inclusive innovation. The system must adapt, respond, and support.
Despite multiple outreach efforts over several years, no national or international institution has provided support. The full timeline of institutional responses is available on our Institutional Record Page.
5. How Institutions Can Support
Act as a neutral custodian of the technology and brand
Help organize independent technical validation and pilot trials
Coordinate deployment to vulnerable communities in priority regions
6. Request for Action
We invite WIPO, UNDP, and other relevant agencies to formally engage with the Rub-X project. You can:
