Join Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), for a listening session to hear from experts in the Midwest region. The panel will discuss issues impacting independent inventors and how the USPTO can aid in breaking down barriers to innovation.
Topics of discussion:
- How the USPTO can increase support to small businesses and inventors
- Expanding the reach of the USPTO to better serve underrepresented individuals and communities
- Lessons learned from inventor associations about how to support independent inventors
- Ways of partnering with incubators to increase access to research and development facilities and tools
Panelists:
- Tanya Bryant, Inventor of NetCessity
- James Howard, Inventor, Executive Director, Black Inventors Hall of Fame Museum
- Tricia Wright, Inventor of Time Timer
- Monique Quarterman, Deputy Executive Director in the Office of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Innovation, Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development
- Joe Finkler, Michigan Inventors Coalition
“I look forward to learning from current and aspiring innovators across all regions and demographics to better understand the variety of perspectives on issues that affect them," said Director Vidal. "We are committed to working hand-in-hand with the innovation community and other government agencies to help bring innovation to impact for the betterment of society. Let this be the start of a constructive dialogue to foster an intellectual property system that works for all.”
Please email questions for the panelists by July 11, 2022 to midwestregion@uspto.gov.
Stay tuned for further announcements on additional stakeholder listening sessions with Director Vidal.
All listening sessions are closed to press.