Coming up just before the big IPO conference in Chicago, Emory Law in Atlanta will be hosting the 2nd Innovator Diversity Pilots Conference. This event looks excellent, and I wish I could attend. (I'll be in the woods at a "ManKind Project" retreat).
Details: Friday, September 20, 2024, 8:45 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. In person or online. https://law.emory.edu/impact/conferences/innovator-diversity-pilots-conference.html.
USPTO Dir Kathi Vidal and other Biden Administration officials have been very open to trying well designed pilot programs that offer some promise to effectively increase participation and engagement of underrepresented groups within the innovation ecosphere. Although many of the pilots focus on gender and race/ethnicity, the mindset of most really seems to be thinking about ways to make sure that everyone feels that patent-incentive -- adding fuel to the fire of genius. I expect that the pilots that really work will be rolled-out as deliverables to everyone.
Key topics:
- Lessons learned from recent innovator diversity pilots
- Practical insights from the Diversity Pledge and other law firm diversity initiatives.
- The future of patent drafting and prosecution in the age of AI
- Strategies for retaining diverse talent in the patent profession
It is a mix of academic research presentations and practical discussions.