Women's Entrepreneurship Symposium event series

Women's Entrepreneurship Symposium

The annual Women’s Entrepreneurship Symposium (WES) offers attendees a chance to learn about innovation and business from public and private sector experts. At the WES, you’ll have the chance to:

  • Learn about navigating today’s changing marketplace
  • Explore ongoing efforts to bring women into the innovation ecosystem
  • Hear from senior USPTO officials and other IP experts
  • Discover educational opportunities for girls and women in computer science, invention, and STEM

 

Upcoming events

Learn more about the role of women who drive technological advancements and innovation within the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) ecosystem.

Past events

Hear from women founders and industry experts on achieving success within the innovation ecosystem.

Hear leading women in business share key moments from their entrepreneurship journeys and resources that can help you take the next step in your own innovation journey.

Hear from women in STEM about their innovation journeys, including how they're leveraging intellectual property protection to achieve success and make a difference.

Hear how women innovators are impacting industries across the board with intellectual property protection.

Learn how women entrepreneurs from around the world are bringing their innovations to impact in the global marketplace. Hear how they got started and the opportunities that exist for women innovators.

Learn about the international efforts to help women use intellectual property to take their ideas into the marketplace.

The USPTO invites you to join our next Women’s Entrepreneurship event to hear from innovators and entrepreneurs about protecting your intellectual property, networking, and accessing capital.

The USPTO invites you to join our next Women’s Entrepreneurship (WE) event to hear from policy makers and business leaders as they discuss how to empower more women founders in tech.

Nov 17, 2023 - Virtual and New Orleans, LA

Breaking through barriers, these successful women have fostered ideas into prosperous ventures making a lasting impact.

Oct 18, 2023 - Virtual and Evanston, IL

Breaking through barriers, these successful women have fostered ideas into prosperous ventures making a lasting impact.

Breaking through barriers, these successful women have fostered ideas into prosperous ventures making a lasting impact.

An award-winning innovator is leading the charge to support 100 wearable startups led by underrepresented founders by 2030: Hear her story and more at our next WE event August 9.

Join us for our upcoming #WEWednesday event virtually or in person from Honolulu, Hawaii on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at 2:00 pm EST | 8:00 am HST.

Join us for our upcoming #WEWednesday event virtually or in person at the Berkeley School of Law in Berkeley, California, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. ET | 10:00 a.m. PT.

On April 26, 4:30-7:30 p.m. ET, the USPTO will celebrate World IP Day by focusing on the theme "The Value of Her IP", with stories of perseverance and sacrifice from women business owners, creators and inventors.

Join us for our next #WEWednesday event virtually or in person at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday, April 26 at 12 p.m. ET.

Hear from women working in tech who have made an impact in the industry with their innovative thinking. Additionally, learn how women are finding funding to bring their ideas to the commercial market.

Learn about the importance of mentors and how building a reliable network can impact growth, opportunities, and success.

Hear from leaders who are bringing about change and helping others obtain their intellectual property (IP) as they share their experiences as innovators, entrepreneurs, and role models.

The WE Wednesday event series continues with a program focused on securing funding for your business or startup.

The USPTO invites you to join our next Women’s Entrepreneurship (WE) event on January 18, 2023 virtually and in Naples, Florida.

Nov 30, 2022 - Virtual and Alexandria, VA

Join leading women and USPTO Director Kathi Vidal at the launch of Women’s Entrepreneurship (WE), a community-focused, creative initiative to tap women's potential to increase equity, job creation, and economic prosperity.

Learn how exceptional innovators discovered their inspiration for success and commercialization.

Learn about the economic impact of women in business and how social trends are affecting professional growth and business opportunities.

Get career insights from researcher, patent holder, and American Association for the Advancement of Science IF/THEN Ambassador Amy M. Elliott, Ph.D.

Successful women innovators discuss ways to identify a market segment for sales and growth, and best practices and successful habits in today’s changing business climate.

Experts discuss small business loans, crowdfunding, and other investment funding sources for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Experts discuss government resources, free legal services, and support for small business owners.

Experts discuss opportunities for girls and women in computer science, invention, and STEM; ways to nurture girls’ confidence in entrepreneurship; and programs to encourage young women in invention and STEM.

The 2021 Women’s Entrepreneurship Symposium kickoff provides information about navigating today’s changing marketplace and challenges and opportunities for women.

Mar 3, 2020 - Alexandria, VA

2020 Women's Entrepreneurship Symposium