Patent Law Practice Center

USPTO’s Patents for Humanity

We’re finally using our patent powers for good. The USPTO and the White House announced an awards competition titled,  “Patents for Humanity”. It is the USPTO’s voluntary pilot program to recognize patent owners who apply their patented technology to address humanitarian needs. According to the USPTO, “The program advances the president’s global development agenda by rewarding companies who bring life-saving technologies to underserved people of the world, while showing how patents are an integral part of tackling the world’s challenges.”  Patent owners and inventors whose patents offer a humanitarian goal will receive an award certificate that can be used to accelerate the prosecution any patent application in their portfolio (a $4,800 value). (more…)