Tampa, FL – August 17, 2026
America’s commitment to innovation creates new jobs, industries, and wealth. It also relies on those who have succeeded to give back, mentor, and educate those who follow. By investing in the next generation, we transform research into technologies, and innovations into products that strengthen the nation’s economy, security, and global competitiveness.
The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) today kicked off the American Innovation Campaign with the announcement of three new prestigious awards that recognize:
- Excellence in innovation philanthropy,
- Mentorship and innovation leadership, and
- Intellectual property and innovation education.
The American Innovation Campaign represents the core of NAI’s five-year Joint Project Agreement with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The Campaign spotlights groundbreaking inventions and the foundational role of intellectual property and innovation in advancing U.S. economic growth, global competitiveness, and societal progress.
“America’s innovative future relies on visionaries who invest in ideas before they become companies, mentor inventors before they become household names, and understand the fundamental importance of intellectual property,” said Dr. Paul R. Sanberg, FNAI, President of the National Academy of Inventors. “These new awards celebrate and reward the generosity, commitment, and impact of those who dedicate their lives and work to the nation’s innovation pipeline.”
National Academy of Inventors Innovation Philanthropy Award
Presented for the first time during the 2026 NAI Annual Conference, the National Academy of Inventors Innovation Philanthropy Award recognizes visionary philanthropists whose efforts strengthen research universities, expand innovation ecosystems, and inspire transformational investment in the institutions where America’s next generation of discovery begins.
The inaugural recipient, Mark A. Stevens, NAI Honorary Member, was recognized for his extraordinary dedication to helping transform technologies from promising ideas into companies that shape entire industries. His commitment to university innovation includes a landmark gift with his wife, Mary, that established the USC Stevens Center for Innovation, now the university’s central hub for patenting, entrepreneurship and technology commercialization, as well as continued investment in USC research and innovation.
“America’s greatest breakthroughs begin with bold ideas, but those ideas only reach their full potential when people invest in them,” said Mr. Stevens. “Supporting our universities and innovators is one of the most meaningful investments we can make in America’s future. I am honored to receive this recognition and hope it inspires others to invest in the people and institutions that will shape the next generation of discovery.”
Robert S. Langer & Paul R. Sanberg Mentorship & Innovation Leadership Award
Created in partnership with NAI Fellows Dr. Robert S. Langer and Dr. Paul R. Sanberg, this award recognizes exceptional mentorship that develops inventors, entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovative leaders while promoting scalable mentorship models across higher education, industry, and the broader innovation ecosystem. More than 50 of Dr. Langer’s former students and postdoctoral researchers have gone on to become NAI Fellows themselves, demonstrating the multiplier effect of mentorship across generations of inventors.
“The greatest innovations are rarely the work of one individual—they are the result of generations of people who teach, mentor, encourage, and inspire one another,” said Dr. Langer, Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Mentorship multiplies innovation. Every inventor who succeeds has benefited from someone who believed in them, challenged them, and helped them see possibilities they could not yet see themselves. Investing in mentorship is one of the most important investments we can make in America’s innovation future.”
Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property–National Academy of Inventors Excellence in Intellectual Property & Innovation Education Award
Established in partnership with Michelson Philanthropies and NAI Fellow Dr. Gary K. Michelson, this award recognizes institutions and educational leaders expanding intellectual property and innovation education while preparing future inventors and entrepreneurs to translate discoveries into societal and economic impact. A prolific inventor with more than 950 issued patents worldwide, Dr. Michelson has firsthand experience with the critical role intellectual property plays in moving inventions from ideas to impact. He founded the Michelson Intellectual Property Institute and partners with NAI to make IP education more accessible through a nationally recognized intellectual property curriculum
“Innovation doesn’t end with discovery—it advances when inventors understand how to protect, develop, and translate their ideas into real-world impact,” said Dr. Michelson, founder of Michelson Philanthropies. “Intellectual property education empowers innovators to transform creativity into solutions that improve lives, create companies, and strengthen America’s economic competitiveness. By expanding access to IP education, we are investing in the future of American innovation.”
About the National Academy of Inventors
The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) is a member organization comprising U.S. and international universities, governmental agencies, and nonprofit research institutes, with more than 4,600 individual inventor members and Fellows representing over 300 institutions worldwide. NAI recognizes and encourages inventors with U.S. patents, enhances the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourages the disclosure of intellectual property, educates and mentors future innovators, and convenes partnerships that accelerate the translation of discovery into societal and economic impact.
In the coming months, NAI will continue introducing additional initiatives under its Joint Project Agreement with the USPTO, including the National Invention Ambassadors Network and the NAI Innovation Alliance. These initiatives will create new opportunities to connect America’s leading inventors with federal agencies, strategic partners, and mission-driven innovation initiatives.