By: Josh Sloat

Why do patents exist in the first place? What function do they serve in society? And what is their historic origin story? In this month’s episode, with the help of Professor Adam Mossoff, we zoom way out, turn the time dial back a bit, and focus on the genesis of patents. 
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There’s a special kind of magic that happens when individual incentives align with societal good. Abraham Lincoln, who believed that the creation of the patent system was only surpassed by the discovery of America and the invention of the printing press in terms of the three greatest advancements in human history, once said, “The Patent System added the fuel of interest to the fire of genius, in the discovery and production of new and useful things”. 

The recognition and protection of mental labor and the fruits of the mind as natural property rights enabled any inventor – big or small – to profit from their discoveries and partner with those possessing the resources necessary to scale and bring new products and services to the marketplace. The exchange of this protection for an enabling public disclosure enhanced society and accelerated the pace of innovation by facilitating the open exchange of information and created the greatest free library of science and technological information in the world. And because the economy grows and society flourishes when innovation is encouraged, the world was transformed in the 19th and 20th centuries as demonstrated by the scientific and technological revolutions that define our modern society and by virtue, created the greatest hockey stick graph in history. 
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But somewhere along the way, we lost sight of this. Patents became a victim of their own success. Their impact on society, the economy, and innovation became both ubiquitous and too often unseen at the same time. This episode is the start of our effort to help undo this collective societal amnesia about the significance of patents as the primary driver in society for encouraging innovation, promoting public disclosure, facilitating technology transfer, and stimulating economic growth.
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Patently Strategic is available on all major podcasting directories, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. We're also available on 12 other directories including Stitcher, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn, so you should be able to find us wherever you listen to podcasts.​

By: Josh Sloat

​So many innovators need great patent protection at the time when they can least afford it. This is one of many reasons we're excited to announce that we're now officially accepting applications for the 4th Annual Recognition for Innovative Startup Excellence (RISE) Award! For the selected applicant, we will work closely with you and your team of inventors to provide one of the following:

​We'll be accepting applications through the month and announcing the winner later this summer. 
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It's tempting to overlook the expense of patenting, especially before you've secured funds, but one of the biggest mistakes we regularly see from inventors is publicly disclosing their idea before filing for patent protection. This comes with tremendous risk. You can lose all ability for international protection and potentially for the U.S., as well, depending on timing. Further, most investors are not willing to sign NDAs, so when pitching, you have little to no protection when sharing your idea if you haven't first applied for a patent. If you're thinking about taking your idea public or approaching investors, but financial constraints have you waiting on patents, you should strongly consider this award.

To learn more about the history of this award, it's past winners, and how it's helped in their innovation journeys, check out our Inventor Stories episode from Season Two of the Patently Strategic Podcast. 

We're taking applications starting now and going through June 30th. Click the button below to apply using our simple application and don't hesitate to reach out with any questions. Good luck and we can't wait to learn more about you and your innovations!
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