Closing Diversity Gaps in Innovation: Gender, Race, and Income Disparities in Patenting and Commercialization of Inventions

For example, white Although some of the earliest inventors in men patent at nine times the rate of white women, American history were women and people of color, while Hispanic men patent at five times the rate of today not every American has equal opportunity Hispanic women, and African American men patent to share in the benefits of the innovation ecosys- at 2.6 times the rate of African American. [...] The nondiscrimination laws are fully enforced and that National Science Foundation, National Institutes employment and staffing decisions in academia, of Health, and White House Office of Science industry, and government are made on their merits and Technology Policy all have the resources and and not based on gender, race, or other character- expertise to help promote diversity in invention and i. [...] To the Growth found that the rising inequality in the pat- extent that inventors from under-represented com- ent system is linked to the decline in the number of munities can more easily obtain and defend their new start-ups in the U. [...] just before the Finally, discrimination against women and people Great Recession, the report points to lower patenting of color in the workplace, cultural inertia in aca- rates among low-income individuals to underscore demia and industry, and gender and racial stereotypes “just how far out of reach entrepreneurial success is all contribute to the patent gaps. [...] participate fully in the culture of innovation and The connection between patents and start-ups is entrepreneurship that the framers of the IP Clause important for the broader economy: Start-ups gen- envisioned at the nation’s founding.