Last week (November 9), the new Texas Regional U.S. Patent and Trademark Office opened in Dallas, an office that will provide outreach services for inventors, entrepreneurs and startups based in Louisiana. The office also will cover Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.
“This regional office shows that we are committed to ensuring innovators and entrepreneurs have the resources and IP protections they need to compete and grow in today’s global economy,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Michelle K. Lee.
Ribbon cutting ceremony for the Texas Regional U.S. Patent and Trademark Office serving: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. Pictured from left to right: Congressman Marc Veasey, USPTO Deputy Director Russell Slifer, USPTO Director Michelle K. Lee, CEO Dallas Entrepreneur Center Trey Bowels, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, Dallas May Mike Rawlings and Congressman Pete Sessions.
Following the signing of the America Invents Act into law back in 2011, the White House and Commerce Department have shown commitment to encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship and the local and regional level.
The first regional office was opened in Detroit in July 2012, followed by The Rocky Mountain Regional Office in Denver in 2014, and The Silicon Valley Regional Office last month in San Jose, California. The latest addition is the last in the series of offices to be opened.
This new office aims to support and spur innovation throughout the region by helping entrepreneurs advance cutting-edge ideas to the marketplace, grow their businesses, and more efficiently navigate the world’s strongest intellectual property system.
“This office will have far-reaching and long-lasting benefits for inventors and entrepreneurs throughout the central southern portion of the United States, and beyond,” continued Lee.