U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Small
Business - Big Questions
Piracy, counterfeiting and
the theft of intellectual property pose a serious threat to all U.S. businesses.
Industry estimates of the cost of such theft range from $250 billion to 750,000
jobs per year. Small businesses often find themselves at a particular disadvantage
because they often lack the resources and expertise available to larger corporations.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Natioanal
Business Association (NBA) have partnered to help address this problem by participating
in a nationwide program to encourage small businesses to recognize and consider
the benefits of strong IP protection-both domestically and abroad. Specifically,
the USPTO wants businesses to know:
- When to apply;
- What
type of protection to apply for;
- Where to apply; and
- How
to apply.
As part of the campaign, the USPTO has
developed a Web site - www.StopFakes.Gov/SmallBusiness
- specifically designed to help small businesses better identify and address their
IP protection needs. Free informational materials, which can be downloaded from
this Web site, will help guide small businesses through the often-complicated
world of intellectual property protection. Finally, the USPTO is alerting small
businesses to the resources being made available by placing announcements on Web
sites they commonly turn to, such as entrepreneur.com and fast.com.
This
program is part of a government-wide effort to curb IP crime and strengthen IP
enforcement-both here at home and overseas. For example, the USPTO and other agencies
within the Department of Commerce have joined with other government departments,
such as the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice, in
a government-wide Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP!) initiative, which
aims to smash the criminal networks that traffic in fakes, stop trade in pirated
and counterfeit goods at America's borders, block bogus goods around the world
and help small businesses secure and enforce their rights in overseas markets.
Resources
- Educational materials for small-business owners to help guide them through
the process of protecting their businesses or inventions from intellectual property
theft;
- USPTO conferences,
seminars and workshop opportunities for small business owners, inventors,
and entrepreneurs; and
- A new Web site, www.stopfakes.gov/smallbusiness,
specifically tailored to the IP information needs of small business.
For information on Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights
For
more information about the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, visit http://www.uspto.gov
.
www.stopfakes.gov/smallbusiness
An Education campaign of the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office, U.S. Department of Commerce
600 Dulany Street • Alexandria, VA
22313-1450
