Get the USPTO to SXSW 2023

Vote for our seven PanelPicker®sessions August 9-21!

We need your PanelPicker votes to ensure intellectual property (IP) is part of the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference conversation. From August 9-21, 2022, you can vote for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) 2023 PanelPicker session proposals. Make sure you leave comments about what you’d like us to talk about, and share the details about the panels with friends. You can vote for more than one panel, and you can vote even if you don’t plan to attend SXSW.

SXSW crowdsources conference programming through the PanelPicker platform, and community voting counts for 30% of the panel selection decisions.

SXSW is a prime opportunity for the USPTO to highlight the importance of protecting IP. Let SXSW know how vital IP protection is by voting for our seven panels today!

  • Vote for all seven USPTO's panels.
  • Leave comments or questions for us on the panel page.
  • Join the conversation on social media with #USPTOatSXSW.

Panel 1:  Innovation2Impact: New Emerging Technologies (NET)
 

Vote to see intellectual property panels at SXSW 2023. Community voting August 9-21. #USPTOatSXSW

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The USPTO, Army Futures Command and industry experts discuss NETs which merge technology sectors, revolutionizing the way we live and taking us to the next generation of advancements. For example, AI and robotics are revolutionizing orthopedic solutions to drive more consistent outcomes in surgical procedures. Integration of AI is transforming the treatment of acute and chronic wounds beyond just bandages and stitches. Developments in energy infrastructure and renewable energy through carbon reduction and other emissions are creating a cleaner environment. Transformational research in mobility technology and AI is creating the future of military science. Learn about this tech, military initiatives, and why protecting this robust IP is essential, so that innovation can be brought to impact.

Panelists:

Panel 2:  Take a bite out of counterfeits
 

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Counterfeit products are cheap and dangerous imitations of brands we trust. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, more than $9 million worth of IP-infringing products are seized daily. Counterfeit products range from fake electronics, cosmetics and sporting goods to phony prescription pills, often containing deadly amounts of fentanyl or methamphetamine. Counterfeit products are easily accessible and often sold on social media and e-commerce platforms, making them available to anyone with a smartphone, including minors. In addition to funding criminal enterprises, counterfeit goods impact innovation, erode the competitiveness of your business, and can cause serious injury or death. Learn how to better protect your business and family from the widespread prevalence of fake products.

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Panel 3:  Influencing IP: What's next after the trend?
 

Vote to see intellectual property panels at SXSW 2023. Community voting August 9-21. #USPTOatSXSW

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An informative and interactive panel of IP experts associated with influencers and social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Meta and more. This panel will discuss IP considerations such as copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets. In addition, best practices in business and details of owning your artistic works will be discussed for creatives of all disciplines.

Panelists:

Panel 4:  Exploring new opportunities in the Metaverse  
 

Vote to see intellectual property panels at SXSW 2023. Community voting August 9-21. #USPTOatSXSW

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Businesses are currently facing unique challenges in supply chain, employee hiring and retention, and rapidly increasing cost structures. To combat these difficulties and to remain competitive and secure, emergence into the growing tech market is an essential step. The Metaverse is a new opportunity for companies to expand into a virtual platform that provides new ways to interact, market, and conduct commerce. Leaders from the USPTO, Oracle, and Building Momentum will provide insight on how to recover, rebuild and gain a competitive edge in 2023 and beyond. Panelists will show how to use available resources to help protect IP and gain the knowledge needed to make informed decisions for entrepreneurial pursuits in the Metaverse.

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Panel 5:  Feeding the force: Army food trucks?
 

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Join a discussion with the U.S. Army FUTURES Command, the USPTO and experienced logistics professionals to learn about the improvements being made in food tech. How does the Army feed its soldiers across the globe? What does it take to resupply in austere, immature locations? This panel will review the latest supply chain technologies, preservative techniques and packaging that have direct applications in other industry sectors.

Panelists:
  • Damian Porcari, United States Patent and Trademark Office
  • Erin Gaffney-Stomberg, Combat Feeding Division Soldier Sustainment Directorate
  • Christopher Burke, McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin
  • Robyn Metcalfe, College of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin
     

Panel 6:  Inventing the Future, From Your Classroom 
 

Vote to see intellectual property panels at SXSW 2023. Community voting August 9-21. #USPTOatSXSW

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Invention Education builds the core competencies that drive innovation: creativity, resourcefulness, and agility; along with the ability to dissect a problem, prototype, experiment and iterate. It inspires students of different talents, and ability levels, by intentionally integrating socioemotional development with STEM skills. In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn from teachers who have successfully integrated Invention Education into their curricula – how they did it and how you can too.

Panelists:

Panel 7:  Blockchain x Intellectual Property: A new frontier 
 

Vote to see intellectual property panels at SXSW 2023. Community voting August 9-21. #USPTOatSXSW

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Blockchain is a term that gains more recognition by the passing day, with its attribution being popularly associated with cryptocurrencies and NFTs. As the possibilities of use with blockchain technologies are constantly growing, there is value in the utilization of blockchain as a way to protect intellectual property (IP). IP refers to creations of the mind, such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, artistic work, music, etc. In this informative and interactive panel, we will discuss the utilization of blockchain as a tool to protect your IP assets (for example, proving ownership of IP, validating integrity of IP, licensing rights govern the use of and royalties for virtual world IP, etc.) and your brand/business.

Panelists:

About SXSW

The annual South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference in Austin, Texas, provides an opportunity for global professionals at every level to participate, network, and discuss economic and cultural issues. The wide range of participating individuals and organizations have one thing in common: they all work with IP.

USPTO's participation

The USPTO is responsible for submitting panels 1-5, 7. Panel 6 was submitted by a SXSW potential participant, who requested USPTO participation.