IP Law Daily, AGENCY NEWS: USPTO unveils ‘National Strategy for Inclusive Innovation’, (May 2, 2024)
Organizations Mentioned:U.S. Copyright Office
By Steven Melendez
The plan is intended to boost participation in innovation and STEM by young people and underrepresented populations.
In an effort to increase and diversify participation in science and innovation, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announced a new initiative to address educational disparities and access to commercialization opportunities for historically underrepresented and under resourced communities. A joint report by the Department of Commerce and the USPTO, titled "National Strategy for Inclusive Innovation,” sets forth goals and recommendations to advance inclusive innovation.
“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,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in a statement. “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 strategy report cites research that finds that men, white people, and children born to parents in the top 1 percent of earners are all substantially more likely to become inventors. It calls for boosting youth education around innovation and promoting post-secondary education around innovation and entrepreneurship.
"Though there are many on-ramps to innovation, research indicates that early and sustained exposure to [science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)] is a driving factor in determining who becomes an inventor later in life," according to the report. "Early exposure to innovation, invention, and STEM benefits students of all ages."
The strategy for inclusive innovation sets forth recommendations to help advance four key cornerstone principles: (1) inspiring new generations of innovators; (2) educating and empowering innovators; (3) advancing inclusive innovation across government and other areas; and 4) bringing innovation to market.
The report also recommends working towards greater inclusion in public and private organizations that support innovation, and equalizing access to intellectual property protection and means of commercializing inventions. The USPTO has been working to improve disparities in the patent system at least since a 2019 report to Congress, issued under the 2018 SUCCESS Act, confirmed women and minorities are underrepresented as inventors and patentees.
To that end, the USPTO has created a Council for Inclusive Innovation, or CI2, which contributed to the report, and launched programs like the a First-Time Filer Expedited Examination Program offering extra assistance to new inventors and expanded pro bono programs offering help to inventors with limited financial resources. The agency also recently launched a Women's Entrepreneurship program to help women find mentors, funding, and other resources they need to start their own businesses. The U.S. Copyright Office is also taking steps to make its area of intellectual property more accessible, according to the report.
The USPTO also recently updated its website to point to locations where people can get access to assistance registering patents and trademarks, including USPTO regional offices and a network of dozens of libraries.
"In an era in which many services have moved online, it remains important to have a local presence for individuals who have limited online access or who need personalized attention," according to the report.
Beyond issues of fairness, failure to equalize innovation opportunities causes needless harm to the American economy, according to the report.
"The innovation ecosystem is out of reach to large portions of the American public, many of whom could contribute if given meaningful resources and the opportunity," according to the report. "The consequent harms to the U.S. economy are immense."
News: Patent USPTO