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Patents for Humanity is the USPTO’s awards program for those using game-changing technology to address global challenges, reach under-served communities, and improve millions of lives around the globe. All U.S. patent holders and applicants can participate—not just big companies, but also small and medium-sized enterprises, startups, universities, and nonprofits. In addition to receiving public recognition of their work, winners will be issued certificates entitling them to expedite select proceedings at the USPTO.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is expanding the Patents for Humanity Awards Program to include a new category for those who are responding rapidly to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic by using or developing game-changing technologies. This new award category will provide business incentives for patent applicants, holders, and licensees whose inventions track, prevent, diagnose, or treat COVID-19. Their success stories will inspire others to harness innovation for human progress.
In addition to public recognition of their work, winners will receive a certificate that grants them accelerated USPTO processing for one eligible matter. New for this special award category as recently provided for in Pub. L. 116-316: Winners may transfer their acceleration certificate to a third party.
All innovations related to COVID-19 are eligible.
Any U.S. patent or patent application that addresses COVID-19 is eligible for this award, including any inventions created to track, diagnose, prevent, or treat the disease. Please note that this new award cycle will only be for applications related to COVID-19. To review the additional award categories available in future cycles, please visit the Patents For Humanity webpage.
For non-press inquiries, please contact patentsforhumanity@uspto.gov.
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