In the newest issue of Technology & Innovation, Volume 22, Issue 3: Diversity, Invention, and Innovation, Holly Fechner, Morgan Schreurs, and Eric Chung from Invent Together present public policy recommendations to increase equity, inclusion, and diversity in inventing and patenting.
In the article “Increasing Inventor Diversity: U.S, Public Policy Recommendations,” they suggest the U.S. government include improving data collection and research to measure and advance equity in patenting; supporting historically underrepresented inventors by providing education, legal, and technical assistance and promoting workplace equity; and spotlighting historically underrepresented inventors and promoting diversity among patent counsel and patent examiners.
“We can achieve real change through public policy. By using data to measure and advance equity in patenting, providing support to historically under-represented inventors to broaden participation in patenting, and enabling individuals to see inventors and work with patent gatekeepers who can relate to them, the federal government can help ensure that all Americans have an opportunity to participate fully in the invention economy,” the article states.
While Invent Together is working toward public policies to increase accessibility in the invention space, they have also developed their own initiatives, in conjunction with their partners and stakeholders, that provide resources to inventors.
As part of their commitment to supporting historically underrepresented inventors, Invent Together launched in 2022 The Inventor’s Patent Academy (TIPA). TIPA is a free online learning platform that guides users through the patent system’s benefits and the process of patenting inventions. TIPA was designed to make the patent process more accessible for groups historically excluded from patent-heavy science and engineering fields, including women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQIA, people from lower-income communities, and people with disabilities.
“Thanks to the ideas of brilliant inventors, scientists, engineers and creators, the United States is an innovation powerhouse,” said Invent Together Executive Director Holly Fechner. “The goal of TIPA is to expand access to inventing and patenting. When we do that, we open new doors to opportunities, spur further innovation, create jobs, grow businesses, close wage and wealth gaps, and strengthen the U.S. position as a global innovation leader.”
To learn more about TIPA and bring it to your institution, contact Invent Together.