The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today launched a major initiative aimed at expanding invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the United States.
The new National Council for Expanding American Innovation (NCEAI), comprised of representatives from industry, academia, and government, will help guide the USPTO in developing a comprehensive national strategy to build a more diverse and inclusive innovation ecosystem by encouraging participation demographically, geographically, and economically.
“It is critical that industry, academia, and government work together to strengthen our culture of innovation by encouraging the participation of young people from diverse backgrounds,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “Through the National Council for Expanding American Innovation, we plan to develop a national strategy for promoting and increasing the participation of underrepresented groups as inventor-patentees, entrepreneurs, and innovation leaders.”
Secretary Ross will serve as the Chairman of the NCEAI and is joined in his efforts by Vice-Chair Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO.
“America’s economic prosperity and technological leadership depend on a strong and inclusive innovation ecosystem,” said Iancu. “That is why it is so important for us to encourage participation in the patent system so that all Americans are inspired to invent, to protect their inventions, to build thriving businesses, and to succeed.”
The press release can be found here.
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