As we continue celebrating our nation’s 250th anniversary, the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) , America’s Innovation Agency, today announced a landmark five-year national initiative designed to strengthen America's innovative capacity and impact through expanded collaboration, intellectual property education, improved commercialization results and new strategic partnerships that accelerate invention into societal and economic impact.
The NAI-USPTO partnership launches around three national initiatives: the American Innovation Campaign, the National Invention Ambassadors Network, and Innovation and Economic Competitiveness Workshops, bringing together universities, industry, government, and innovation organizations to accelerate discovery into societal impact.
Together, these initiatives are designed to strengthen America's invention-to-impact pipeline by uniting research, intellectual property, entrepreneurship, technology transfer, commercialization, and workforce development through a coordinated national strategy.
"America's future competitiveness depends on our ability to strengthen the innovation ecosystem—from discovery and intellectual property protection to the societal impact from commercialized technologies," said Dr. Paul R. Sanberg, FNAI, President of the National Academy of Inventors. "Through our partnership with the USPTO and an expanding coalition of universities, industry, government, philanthropists, and innovation organizations, we are creating a framework that empowers inventors, accelerates innovation, and strengthens America's leadership for generations to come."
"The Joint Partnership Agreement between the USPTO and the National Academy of Inventors reflects our shared commitment to strengthening America's innovation ecosystem by expanding access to intellectual property education, supporting inventors throughout the innovation journey, and accelerating the translation of groundbreaking discoveries into impact," said the Honorable John A. Squires, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. "Together, we are building stronger pathways that unite research, invention, commercialization, and economic growth—ensuring the United States remains the global leader in innovation."
Founding Coalition
Joining the National Initiative: The NAI–USPTO Joint Partnership Agreement is supported by a growing coalition of organizations committed to strengthening America's innovation ecosystem and advancing the American Innovation Campaign.
Founding Coalition:
Association of American Universities (AAU)
AUTM
Council for Innovation Promotion (C4IP)
Command Strategies
NSF National Innovation Network, powered by the 13 NSF I-Corps Hubs
United States Intellectual Property Alliance (USIPA)
VentureWell
Together, these organizations represent many of the nation's leading voices in research, technology commercialization, entrepreneurship, intellectual property, workforce development, and innovation policy, creating an unprecedented coalition dedicated to strengthening America's innovation future.
"America's research universities are engines of discovery, talent development, and economic growth. Strengthening the connection between research, intellectual property, entrepreneurship, industry, philanthropy, and commercialization is essential to maintaining our nation's global leadership in innovation. AAU is pleased to support this collaborative effort to advance partnerships that help translate groundbreaking research into solutions that benefit society,” said Barbara R. Snyder, President, Association of American Universities.
The Next Phase
Over the coming weeks, NAI will announce the inaugural National Invention Ambassadors, launch the NAI Innovation Alliance, introduce new national awards recognizing excellence in philanthropy, mentorship, and intellectual property education, and unveil additional strategic partnerships supporting America's innovation ecosystem.
A Vision for America's Next 250 Years
As the United States reflects on its 250th anniversary, NAI believes America's next era of leadership will be defined not only by groundbreaking discoveries, but by its ability to strengthen and unite the communities that transform those discoveries into societal impact.
Through the NAI–USPTO Joint Partnership Agreement and a coalition of national partners, NAI is empowering inventors, accelerating breakthrough technologies, strengthening American competitiveness, and improving lives for generations to come.
In partnership, the NAI, the USPTO, and our growing coalition of national partners are helping shape America’s Innovation destiny.
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. Through collaborations with academia, industry, government, and philanthropy, NAI is helping strengthen the innovation ecosystem that powers America's future.