The Commerce Department’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently announced a new National Strategy for Inclusive Innovation to connect more Americans with resources to spur innovation and entrepreneurship.
USPTO’s strategy – released last month – outlines a comprehensive approach for the Federal government, academic institutions, and private industry to share and implement best practices that inspire and support a diverse population of innovators.
“Opportunities for innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship should be accessible to everyone, especially those who have historically lacked access to our most valuable support systems and resources,” Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said on June 21. “USPTO’s National Strategy for Inclusive Innovation outlines a pathway to success for inventors from all backgrounds. This is a reminder that America’s diversity is our greatest strength, but only if everyone has the opportunity to fulfill their potential. By empowering innovators and entrepreneurs from all communities, we can help ensure America’s global competitiveness for decades to come.”
The protection of intellectual property (IP), including patents and trademarks, has been at the forefront of advancement in science and technology, USPTO said. However, opportunities to participate in the U.S. innovation system have been “historically unequal.” According to the agency’s most recent Progress and Potential report, more women are entering and staying active in the patent system, but only 12.8 percent of all inventors named on U.S. patents are women.
USPTO’s new strategy is built upon four cornerstones:
- Addressing K-12 educational disparities and the need to inspire youth of all backgrounds to become innovators;
- Focusing on post-secondary educational disparities for students and faculty;
- Promoting inclusiveness in organizations; and
- Increasing, for all Americans, commercialization opportunities for innovations.
“In order to fulfill our nation’s innovative promise, every sector of the innovation ecosystem – industry, associations, governments, and schools – must take tangible steps to ensure that all Americans can fully realize their inventive and entrepreneurial potential,” said USPTO Director Kathi Vidal. “This Strategy provides a call to action and roadmap to achieve innovative success. When we all work together with a common objective, we can do big things for each other and the country.”
In connection with its Council for Inclusive Innovation, USPTO has launched key initiatives such as a First-Time Filer Expedited Examination Program that offers extra support for inventors new to the patent system; an IP Champions program that leverages the nationwide workforce to provide IP assistance and training within their communities; a diversity information platform that provides data-driven analyses and a one-stop shop for discussing and sharing best practices; the expansion of nationwide pro bono programs providing free legal assistance to underresourced inventors; and a paid innovation internship program for college students from underrepresented communities, among other initiatives.
“With [the] launch of the National Strategy for Inclusive Innovation, USPTO is taking an important step towards greater equity in inventorship and will continue to advance the key tenets underpinning the Strategy through its goal of fostering more inclusive innovation throughout America,” the agency said.
To further this goal, the USPTO recently updated its website to indicate more locations where patenting and trademark registration assistance can be found.
