To understand why America’s lead in tech and innovation is eroding, look at China’s investment in women inventors
In the race for global technology leadership, China knows it needs more inventors to compete with the United States and has worked systematically to expand its innovation capacity. That’s why China eats America’s lunch on a crucial measure of technological ability: women inventors.
A new study by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on international patent applications finds that from 2001 to 2005 and 2016 to 2020, China increased its capacity for female inventors by nearly Double US rate – 42% in China compared to 22% in the US To continue to outperform China in cutting edge technologies So, as President Biden pledged in his State of the Union address, “they are not used against us” The US must access all available talent from By changing the culture around invention and expanding the inventor pipeline.
Our elected officials already know the dangers of allowing other countries to invent us. In a rare and powerful show of bipartisanship, Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act last summer to advance American innovation in next-generation technologies like artificial intelligence, clean energy, 5G, and other advanced technologies to make sure American innovators can keep up. China not only by maintaining US leadership in these areas but also by innovating the following advanced technologies.
The WIPO study shows that the United States lags behind China and much of the world in our efforts to fully mobilize our creative talents. From 2016 through 2020, the United States ranked 13th — well below the global average — based on the share of patents involving women. China is ranked fourth, after Colombia, Spain and Egypt.
Globally, WIPO a report It found that only one in eight inventors listed on a patent was a woman, and that only 4% of international patents covered inventions by only women inventors or teams. These figures not only depict a global underutilization of talent but also the persistence of gender bias in innovative fields around the world.
According to a WIPO study, global patent filings are likely to reach gender parity in about four decades. This already disappointing pace could be slowed further by crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced more women scientists than men out of the lab to care for their families.
Invention plays a major role in economic growth and job creation. The strength of patent protection in a country is a strong indicator of its commitment to the rule of law and its ability to provide incentives for innovation. In the United States, where patent rights are provided by the Constitution, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Saucepan Intellectual property-intensive industries account for more than 40% of US economic activity and support 63 million jobs – 44% of the US workforce.
The scarcity of American women among specific patent inventors can be addressed. In his first two years in office, President Biden has spearheaded the resurgence of “Made in America.” Now we must make sure that everyone has the opportunity to “invent in America.” New laws, policies, and private sector practices can expand access to education, extension, and careers in science and technology: for example, by increasing access to and funding for research and legal assistance for patenting, and by improving the availability of child, family, and family care. Medical leave, ensuring that workplaces in universities and the private sector are welcoming to all.
The need for change is as much about economic and technological competitiveness as it is about equality and correcting historical wrongs. a Studies series Show that the more diverse the team of inventors, the more creative and innovative their output.
The Office of Chief Economist of the USPTO issued a statement last October reportHe called the persistent underrepresentation of women in patenting a “burden on American innovation and prosperity,” citing expectations that economic output would be greatly increased if women were to patent at the same rate as men. The report noted that “gender diversity enhances the innovation process in key ways: the experiences and perspectives of women in media help improve the quantity and quality of innovation.”
Government, educational institutions, and the private sector should promote broad participation in invention and patenting to ensure that women, people of color, and other historically underrepresented groups have the opportunity to contribute fully to the innovation economy.
The global innovation race is on – and the stakes are higher than ever. America can continue to lead–but only if we use the power of all our talents to maximize our creative potential.
Holly Fechner is the Executive Director of Invent Together, an alliance of universities, nonprofits, corporations, and other stakeholders committed to ensuring that everyone has a chance to invent.
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