The director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office met with San Diego business, scientific and political leaders Thursday to seek ideas for making it easier to patent or trademark innovations.
Michelle Lee was joined by San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer at a round table discussion on the 9th floor of the central library downtown.
“The goal is to make it easier for San Diegans to turn their ideas into a product, service or business,” Faulconer said. “We look forward to creating stronger ties with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to encourage more San Diegans to protect their intellectual property so they can share it with the world.”
San Diego is one of the 10 most patent-intense regions in the United States, receiving more 5,000 annually.
Companies and institutions that participated in the event included Illumina, Qualcomm, the Scripps Research Insititute and BIOCOM.
“We very much welcome all of your participation and all of your input,” said Lee, but acknowledged that there were no quick answers. “There will probably be a series of conversations,” she added.