Researchers estimate that millions of potential inventors from underrepresented groups are not inventing and patenting due to a lack of early exposure. Imagine what we’re missing!
Women are 51% of the population—yet only 13% of inventors listed on patents are women.
Only about 2% of all venture capital funding goes to women.
70
YEARS
At the current rate of progress, women won't reach parity in patenting until 2092
People of color are significantly underrepresented among patent owners. The percentage of Black and Hispanic college graduates who apply for and hold patents is about half that of white grads.
And it’s not getting any better. In fact, patenting activity by Black inventors peaked in 1899 and has not recovered. Let’s finally reverse that trend.
1899
Individuals born to families in the top one percent of income are ten times more likely to patent in their lifetimes than individuals born to families in the bottom half of income.
Increasing participation in inventing and patenting by underrepresented groups would quadruple the number of American inventors. Think of how much faster we could solve problems with 4 times the brainpower!
Research shows that including more women and Black Americans in the early stages of innovation would boost the U.S. economy by nearly $1 trillion every year.
Increasing the number of women, people of color, low-income individuals, people with disabilities, and veterans who invent would help close wage and wealth gaps in the workforce.
It’s simple: more inventors mean more inventions—and every invention can spark countless other big ideas! And since most inventors solve problems that matter to them, a greater diversity in thinkers will lead to more diverse ideas and solutions.
We’ve put together a whole library of research on diversity and inclusion in the innovation economy. And you have access to all of it.
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