Invention-Con 2020: Your IP: A power tool for building success

Invention-Con 2020 -- the place for inventors, makers and entrepreneurs -- USPTO's inventors conference -- August 20-22 -- online

Recordings of Invention-Con 2020's wide variety of panels and presentations are now online. See the agenda below for links to sessions you may have missed or would like to review.

The USPTO's annual Invention-Con is a chance for  independent inventors, entrepreneurs, small business owners, and intellectual property (IP) professionals to learn from top government and private sector experts. This year’s theme was “Your IP: A power tool for building success.” Participants took the opportunity to:

  • Learn from accomplished innovators, inventors, entrepreneurs, and business owners how to use IP to achieve success
  • Learn about resources available to assist innovators
  • Receive valuable information to assist with developing an IP strategy
  • Learn about IP networks

For more information, or to ask questions about Invention-Con, email InventionCon@uspto.gov. Learn more about past Invention-Cons on the Invention-Con program webpage.

Invention-Con 2020 agenda

View the speaker biographies and download the full program.

Thursday, August 20
 

TimeTopicSpeaker
12:00 – 12:05 p.m.IntroductionSean Wilkerson, Innovation Development Program Manager, USPTO
12:05 – 12:10 p.m.Leadership welcomeAndrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO
12:15 – 1:10 p.m.

Understanding the patent examination process
Presentation slides
Video

Patrick Nolan, Training and Development Program Manager, Office of Patent Training, USPTO

Leonard Chang, Academy Supervisory Patent Examiner, USPTO

1:15 – 2:10 p.m.

Filing a provisional application
Presentation slides
Video

Sudhanshu Pathak, Supervisory Patent Examiner, USPTO
2:10 – 3:10 p.m.

Break

 
3:15 – 4:10 p.m.

Best practices for filing a successful patent application
Presentation slides
Video

Janice Tippett, Management and Program Analyst, Office of Patent Application Processing, USPTO

4:15 – 5:10 p.m.

 

Applying for a trademark
Presentation slides
Video

Matt Schwab, Staff Attorney for Electronic Filing and Public Web Services, USPTO

5:10 – 5:15 p.m.

Wrap up and reminders 

Friday, August 21 (all times ET)
 

TimeTopicSpeaker

12:00 – 12:05 p.m.

Introduction

Dennis Forbes, Innovation Development Program Manager, USPTO

12:05 – 12:10 p.m.

Leadership welcomeDrew Hirshfeld, Commissioner for Patents, USPTO

12:15 – 1:10 p.m.

Government resources
Video

Wayne Stacy, Director of the Silicon Valley Regional USPTO, moderator

Craig Buerstatte, Director, Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Economic Development Administration

Joann Hill, Chief, Office of Business Development Minority Business Development Agency

George Koklanaris, Associate Administrator Small Business Development Centers, office of Entrepreneurial Development, Small Business Administration

1:15 – 2:10 p.m.

Building your business model
Video

Corinne Hodges, CEO, Association of Women’s Business Council, moderator

Jody Keenan, Managing Director, Mason Enterprise Center, State Director, Virginia SBDC Network

Mike Watts, CEO of LoveHandle

Ira Carl Wolpart, attorney, SCORE

2:10 – 3:10 p.m.

Break 

3:15 – 4:10 p.m.

Building a virtual business
Video

David Sardi, Founder, DineroHispano, moderator

Andrew Baluch Co-Founder of Markup LLC

Ramona Ortega, CEO & Founder of My Money My Future

David Toledo, Director of Product Development, Thrasio

4:15 – 5:10 p.m.

Keynote
Video

Sam Zaid, CEO and Founder of Getaround

5:10 – 5:15 p.m.

Wrap up and reminders 

Saturday, August 22
 

TimeTopicSpeaker

12:00 – 12:05 p.m. 

Introduction

Sean Wilkerson, Innovation Development Program Manager, USPTO

12:05 – 12:10 p.m.

Leadership welcomeDavid S. Gooder, Commissioner for Trademarks, USPTO

12:15 – 1:10 p.m.

 

Building your network for success
Video

Bismarck Myrick, Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity, USPTO, moderator

Miguel Alemañy, Founder at Innomatrix, LLC; Chair of the Board SHPE

Harry Alford, III, Co-Founder of Humble Ventures

Nina Archie, Diversity and Tech Policy Advisor, The Commercializer

1:15 – 2:10 p.m.

 

Market research/Know your customer
Video

Warren Tuttle, President, United Inventors Association, moderator

Brandon Andrews, Co-Founder, Gauge

LaKisha Greenwade, Brand Strategist, Wearable Tech Ventures Founder

Lyndsey Maddox, Digital Third Coast Internet Marketing

2:10 – 3:10 p.m.

Break 

3:15 – 4:10 p.m.

Building your pitch
Video

Brittany Sickler, Senior Innovation Policy Advisor at the U.S. Small Business Administration, moderator

Shelly Bell, Founder, Black Girl Ventures

Scott Hynd, Co-Founder, Performance

Dr. Heather Metcalf Chief Research Officer, Association for Women in Science, Project Director, STEM to Market (S2M)

4:15 – 5:10 p.m.

Understanding licensing
Video

Dana Colarulli, Executive Director, Licensing Executive Society International (LESI), moderator

David Fedewa, Founder, Invent Tribe

Bob Held, Held Intellectual Property, LLC

Robin Rasor, Executive Director of Licensing, Duke

5:10 – 5:15 p.m.

Wrap up and reminders 
This event is part of a series: Advancing Equity, Invention-Con