Every April 26, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) celebrates World Intellectual Property (IP) Day. World IP Day was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000 to raise awareness of how patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and designs impact daily life, and to celebrate creativity and contributions made by creators and innovators.
IP for a Better Future: Young Innovators
The theme for World IP Day 2022 is “IP for a Better Future: Young Innovators,” encouraging the world to leverage the innovative power of youth to solve problems and create opportunities. For more information on the 2022 theme, visit WIPO’s World IP Day 2022 webpage.
The USPTO’s World IP Day 2022 celebration will focus on this year’s theme and will also highlight the commercialization of IP in sustainable technologies. The two-hour virtual program on April 26 will include an intimate fireside chat discussion with the leadership of the USPTO, WIPO, and the U.S. Copyright Office about promoting IP adoption among young innovators. This will be followed by a panel discussion of industry leaders on supporting IP protection and awareness in sustainable technologies, and presentations from U.S. legislators on current IP initiatives before Congress.
Case studies: Young innovators leveraging IP for a better future
Jason Kang, Katherine Jin, and Kevin Tyan, Kinnos Inc.
In 2014, three undergraduate students at Columbia University co-founded Kinnos Inc. after learning that human error when disinfecting surfaces was a major cause of infections in the West Africa Ebola outbreak. The company’s flagship product, the Highlight® additive, is a patented color additive that temporarily colors disinfectants made with bleach so that users can confirm they’ve properly treated a contaminated surface. The Kinnos team has been recognized by Harvard Innovation Labs, Forbes 30 Under 30, Newsweek’s Best Infection Prevention Products, the USPTO Patents for Humanity Award, and the World Health Organization. The Highlight® additive is now used internationally by hospitals, first responders, and transit agencies.
Learn more about Kinnos in an interview with its three founders, published by the USPTO in April 2021 as part of our “Journeys of Innovation” series. #WorldIPDay
Kavita Shukla, The FRESHGLOW Co.
While visiting her grandmother in India as a 12-year-old, Kavita Shukla drank water believed to be contaminated. Because of her grandmother's quick homemade remedy, she didn't get sick. By studying the remedy and experimenting on her own, Shukla determined why the remedy worked and how to replicate and advance its effects. She now uses this knowledge to prevent food spoilage and alleviate hunger around the world. She is the founder and CEO of The FRESHGLOW Co. and the inventor of FreshPaper sheets that are infused with botanicals that keep produce fresh for longer periods of time. Her story of simple beginnings, innovation, and empowerment was the subject of a short film, “Inspired,” by director Bryce Dallas Howard.
Shukla holds four U.S. patents and was a recipient of the Index Project’s 2013 Design to Improve Life Award, the world’s largest prize for design. Her product is used by farmers and families globally, and her company has partnered with retailers such as Whole Foods and Walmart. She has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vogue, Oprah Magazine, Glamour, The Today Show, and CNN, and has been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and TIME Magazine’s 5 Most Innovative Women in Food.
Learn more about Kavita Shukla in an interview with her, published by the USPTO in July 2021 as part of its “Journeys of Innovation” series. #WorldIPDay
To see more inspiring young innovator stories from all over the world, visit WIPO’s World IP Day 2022 Young Innovators Gallery.
Past World IP Day themes
