US organisations launch D&I alliance
Leading US IP organisations including the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO), the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), and the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) have launched an alliance to boost diversity and collaboration in the sector.
The US Intellectual Property Alliance (USIPA), announced on January 12, aims to bring national, state, and local IP organisations together and is built on three IP pillars: awareness and education; ecosystem collaboration; and diversity and inclusion.
“I am thrilled to be part of USIPA,” said David Kappos, vice chairman and former director of the USPTO and chief IP counsel at IBM. “USIPA is a unique broad-based alliance of all parties interested in creativity and innovation, and with membership spanning individuals and organisations. USIPA is the ‘umbrella’ organisation that can unite the entire community of interest around creativity and innovation.”
“It is inspiring to see so many IP leaders and organisations join together to facilitate American IP objectives through support for inventors, designers, students and startups,” said Scott Frank, USIPA chair. “The alliance will enhance our ability to compete in the global economy and encourage new innovation and creativity for now and decades to come.”
According to its website, the USIPA will be “the role model for supporting all IP people and ideas, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, age, disability or sexual orientation, especially those that are underrepresented”. It also states that USIPA will seek to include diverse perspectives to achieve “the best IP ecosystem”.
It has also pledged to “identify diversity disparities within the IP ecosystem to understand causes and barriers, eliminate bias, and to illustrate the benefits and successes of a more inclusive IP community”.
Additionally, the organisation seeks “to work with US IP stakeholders to enhance diversity and inclusion of ideas so that the best creations and innovations get to US citizens as fast as possible at a fair price”.
In addition to representatives from the USPTO, IPO and AIPLA, other USIPA board members include representatives from the Licensing Executives Society, National Inventors Hall of Fame, US Chamber of Commerce, the Center for Intellectual Property Understanding, National Council for Expanding American Innovation, and Lemelson-MIT.
To learn more about the USIPA, please visit www.usipalliance.org or contact Carol Beckham, at carol.beckham@usipalliance.org.
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