Learn how special guests took their ideas to the marketplace, how to protect your intellectual property, and how to get help along your way.
USPTO events that advance equity
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The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is committed to expanding access to the innovation ecosystem. We offer many programs and events that inspire and encourage inventors and entrepreneurs from all backgrounds and geographies to develop their ideas and seek intellectual property protection for them. Scroll down to learn more about USPTO events that advance equity.
Past events
Conozca cómo empresarios innovadores y exitosos llevaron sus ideas al mercado, cómo proteger su propiedad intelectual y cómo obtener ayuda en el proceso de lanzar su empresa y proteger sus ideas.
Hear from innovative veterans about their journeys towards successful entrepreneurship and critical resources available to entrepreneurs and inventors, including training, counseling, and access to capital.
Join USPTO employees and a guest speaker for a fireside chat on how to amplify and democratize disability representation and access.
Grow your intellectual property knowledge and gain access to resources, business experts, and accomplished innovators at the USPTO's flagship conference for inventors, makers, and entrepreneurs.
Grow your intellectual property knowledge and gain access to resources, business experts, and accomplished innovators at the USPTO's flagship conference for inventors, makers, and entrepreneurs.
Get diverse perspectives from successful small businesses who chose the path less traveled, licensing their products to generate new revenue and grow their companies.
Join us as we share stories of LGBTQIA+ founders who developed their businesses from the ground up, including how they got their products to consumers.
Learn how the SBIR/STTR programs work and what resources are available to help you navigate the processes. Additionally, get the latest on USPTO resources and programs to help you protect your intellectual property.
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.
Hear from an inspiring inventor from the formerly incarcerated community whose passion, tenacity, and creativity led her to develop medical innovations and improve the lives of others.
Learn how you can connect to the innovation ecosystem to jumpstart your business idea.
Hear from innovative veterans about their journeys towards successful entrepreneurship and critical resources available to entrepreneurs and inventors, including training, counseling, and access to capital.
Hear from distinguished panels of experts about the economic impact of LGBTQIA+ businesses, and how to secure funding that will help you turn your idea into a marketplace reality.
Learn how to build connections to foster growth, and hear from leaders in the LGBTQIA+ community who have achieved success on their innovation journeys.
Hear from distinguished panels of experts about the economic impact of LGBTQIA+ businesses, and how to secure funding that will help you turn your idea into a marketplace reality.
Get inspired by stories of excellence from leaders in the AANHPI innovation community, and learn how you can find support and secure funding.
Invention-Con is the USPTO's annual conference for independent inventors, entrepreneurs, and small business owners whose success depends on guarding their creative work.
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.
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.
Learn how diverse teams achieved successes with agricultural innovations
Hear from successful Black innovators, business owners, and education experts how you can build a resilient brand
Educators, successful inventors, and USPTO staff discuss building and nurturing the next generation of inventors, entrepreneurs, and small business owners.
Learn how intellectual property protection helps successful entrepreneurs, small business owners, and inventors.
Learn how special guests took their ideas to the marketplace, how to protect your intellectual property, and how to get help along your way.
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.
We all want greater diversity in innovation. Learn, to focus on creating, sharing, and scaling projects to narrow gaps in participation in innovation. Join our conference at Santa Clara University on November 18, 2022.
Learn how special guests took their ideas to the marketplace, how to protect your intellectual property, and how to get help along your way.
David Price, inventor of the Safety Pouch, and Kate Yoo McCrery, Price’s mentor and Founder of Rhinebeck Ventures, will discuss how mentors can help you build a successful path on your innovation journey.
Invention-Con is the USPTO's annual conference for independent inventors, entrepreneurs, and small business owners whose success depends on guarding their creative work.
Learn how to commercialize your innovation.
Learn how innovators are using their experiences and inventions to build a better tomorrow.
Learn how successful innovators approach, understand, and solve challenges.
Learn to map your way forward from successful innovators.
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.
Successful innovators and USPTO staff discuss investing in intellectual property and building wealth.
Successful innovators and USPTO staff discuss best practices and vital resources to help other innovators protect their creative work and build businesses.
Legal experts discuss ways to increase diversity among intellectual property practitioners in the private sector. The panel addresses retention and advancement, unconscious bias, and diversity at senior levels.
Representatives from the USPTO and Santa Clara University School of Law’s High Tech Law Institute present best practices and a guide for increasing diversity among inventors.
Representatives of intellectual property offices from around the world discuss how some countries have increased the participation of women in their intellectual property systems.
Veterans who are also innovators share their experiences with and best practices for intellectual property protection, and representatives from several organizations discuss resources for veterans.
Successful Hispanic innovators discuss the importance of intellectual property, the need to build networks and find mentors, and resources for the Hispanic innovation community.
Inventors, entrepreneurs, and USPTO staff discuss ways to use intellectual property to achieve success, resources available for innovators, and the importance of an intellectual property strategy.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) innovators discuss creating change, building legacies, securing funding, and networking.
Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander inventors discuss their world-changing technological achievements and their work in the fight against COVID-19.
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.
Explore how to create inclusive STEM environments that make it possible for students of all abilities to be successful inventors and innovators.
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.
Artist Elizabeth “Liz” Montague and Google art director Angelica McKinley provide a behind-the-scenes view of their collaboration to produce a “doodle” for Google’s homepage.
Three contemporary Black women inventors discuss their amazing career paths and game-changing inventions.
Veterans who are inventors, entrepreneurs, small business owners, and intellectual property professionals share ways to make connections and learn about useful resources.
The USPTO hosts the inaugural meeting of the National Council for Expanding American Innovation, which will develop a national strategy to diversify the innovation ecosystem.
Inventors, entrepreneurs, and USPTO staff discuss ways to use intellectual property to achieve success, resources available for innovators, and the importance of an intellectual property strategy.
Inspirational women inventors discuss their groundbreaking and life-enhancing innovations and empower other women to transform our world.