The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has announced the expansion of its Community Engagement Office into the Southeast region of the country. As part of this expansion, the USPTO will focus on creating innovation ecosystem partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities, opening the door for new entrepreneurship and STEM research opportunities at the partnering institutions and in their local communities. Through these partnerships, the USPTO will facilitate educational programs regarding the patent system and promote the career benefits of innovation and entrepreneurship.
In Georgia, the USPTO will collaborate with universities in the Atlanta University Center Consortium (Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, the Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College) as well as the Center for Black Entrepreneurship. The Georgia partnership emphasizes commercialization, entrepreneurship, branding, startup ecosystems, and innovation acceleration.
“Clark Atlanta University is honored to be selected for this USPTO innovation ecosystem partnership, which recognizes the critical role HBCUs play in America’s innovation leadership — from research and invention to commercialization and economic impact,” said George T. French, Jr., president of Clark Atlanta University. “For too long, HBCU innovators have faced barriers in accessing resources to protect intellectual property and scale breakthrough ideas into viable enterprises. This partnership directly addresses that gap by connecting our researchers, students, and faculty to the full spectrum of support — from patent protection to startup acceleration to manufacturing pathways. This is about ensuring HBCU-driven innovation translates into ventures, jobs, and wealth creation while strengthening America’s competitive edge globally.”
“Spelman has a long-standing legacy of fostering academic excellence and empowering Black women to lead and innovate on a global scale,” said Mark Lee, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at Spelman College. “This partnership with the USPTO provides our students and the broader Atlanta University Center community with vital resources to protect their intellectual property, cultivate their entrepreneurial talents, and turn groundbreaking ideas into real-world impact. Our focus remains entirely on equipping the next generation of innovators with the tools they need to thrive and build lasting legacies.”
“At Morehouse, we prepare men not only to lead in their fields but to own what they create,” added Kendrick Brown, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Morehouse College. “The USPTO’s investment in the Atlanta University Center Consortium reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that HBCU students, researchers, and entrepreneurs have direct access to the intellectual property systems that protect innovation and generate economic opportunity. This partnership strengthens our capacity to connect academic excellence to real-world commercialization, and we are proud to be part of it.”
In Alabama, the USPTO will collaborate with Alabama A&M University and the local Huntsville area to create new opportunities in strategic technologies, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, engineering, and commercialization connected to federal and national-security-adjacent innovation ecosystems.
“Alabama A&M University has a long-standing commitment to building partnerships that advance innovation, research, and economic opportunity,” said Daniel K. Wims, president of Alabama A&M University. “Establishing a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office presence on campus will provide students, faculty, and small businesses with greater access to intellectual property resources and expertise. Such access also serves to drive economic growth in this region and transform research into real-world solutions.”
