USPTO bolsters inclusive innovation council
Raft of appointments includes leaders from science, tech, and minority businesses | Council for Inclusive Innovation aims to increase the percentage of women and under-represented groups in patents.
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has added five government leaders to its Council for Inclusive Innovation (CI2), which is aimed at increasing the participation and development of women, veterans, and underrepresented groups as inventors and entrepreneurs.
The new additions—Alejandra Castillo, Don Cravins, Laurie Locascio, Sethuraman Panchanathan, and Shira Perlmutter—will join USPTO director Kathi Vidal as co-vice-chairs of the council.
Castillo serves as assistant secretary of commerce for economic development; Cravins is under secretary of commerce for minority business development; and Locascio is under secretary of commerce for standards and technology and the National Institute of Standards and Technology director.
Panchanathan is director of the National Science Foundation and Perlmutter serves as register of copyrights and director of the US Copyright Office.
CI2 and its forerunner, the National Council for Expanding American Innovation, were formed out of a recommendation in a Congress-mandated report, which the USPTO was required to produce under the Success Act 2018.
In their new role, the government leaders will join Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo (chair of CI2) and Vidal in guiding the council in developing a national strategy for expanding innovation.
According to data from the USPTO, only 12.8% of inventors listed on patents granted in a single year are women. There’s little to no data on the participation of other underrepresented groups.
“I am excited to welcome these incredible leaders in government to serve on the board of CI2 where they will bring their extensive experience supporting US businesses and inventors to create a more inclusive and expansive innovation ecosystem,” said Raimondo.
She added: “The leadership of CI2 will provide a whole-of-government approach and collaborate with private and non-profit partners to devise a strategy that will ensure more Americans from more communities have a fair shot to participate in and benefit from innovation.”
The government leaders will work with CI1 members—executives from industry, academic, non-profit, and government—to develop a National Innovation Strategy and to drive fast, sustainable change, according to the USPTO.
Vidal said: “This step is another example of the Administration’s strong support of inclusive innovation, and giving all Americans with dreams of inventing and entrepreneurship a chance to succeed.
“Our nation’s diversity is what makes us stronger and more competitive. A more inclusive and expansive intellectual property economy will create new jobs with higher wages and promote economic prosperity for all—from those in all socio-economic classes as well as veterans, youth, retirees, to those who identify as diverse.”
In late July, the USPTO announced new initiatives under CI2 to expand innovation and promote jobs and economic prosperity.
This included an innovation internship programme which provides paid internships at the agency to provide hands-on job training to community college and university students. It has since received 500 applications.
The agency has also introduced a first-time filer expedited examination programme for “first-time micro entity filers”. The USPTO receives approximately 40,000 patent applications per year that name at least one inventor who is a first-time filer.
The office is also expanding access to free legal services, through the expansion of both its Law School Clinic Certification Program and support of regional patent pro bono programmes, and piloting a volunteer programme to engage and educate on the importance of protecting ideas and brands.
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