We’ve marked a new milestone: we’ve issued our first round of digital patents. It’s part of our mission to support America’s innovators – the nation’s patentees who drive the American economy. | United States Patent and Trademark Office

The USPTO met a major milestone by reducing the patent application backlog to below 800,000 – helping inventors and businesses secure the intellectual property protections they need to support the economy. Reducing the inventory and shortening patent pendency positively impacts the economy. According to a recent study from the USPTO's Office of the Chief Economist, a one-week patent pendency reduction could increase a U.S. company's financial value on average $35,000. In July, the agency set out

20 teams of student inventors showed off their creations at the USPTO as they competed for the FIRST® LEGO® League Global Innovation Award. From biodegradable 6-pack rings, to a composter that turns food scraps into fuel, the inventions addressed the global issue of trash. One student describes her team’s project. | United States Patent and Trademark Office