More on the Patent Office

Graphic from U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Web Site
http://www.uspto.gov/

A few interesting tid bits on the Patent Office coming to the Denver region.

• There is a pretty fierce debate on selecting a site for the office: Downtown Denver, Stapleton, Fitzsimons, the Tech Center, the Federal Center, or the former site of the University of Colorado Medical School off Colorado Boulevard.   This will be fascinating to see play out.

• The Patent Office  Press Release announcing the selection of the three new satellite cities provides insight about the agency's internal perspective on the impact of these branch locations:

"The four offices will function as hubs of innovation and creativity, helping protect and foster American innovation in the global marketplace, helping businesses cut through red tape, and creating new economic opportunities in each of the local communities. Next week, Acting Secretary Blank and Under Secretary Kappos will travel to each of the newly selected cities to meet with local businesses, entrepreneurs and public officials to discuss the new office openings.

• It is also interesting to see what the Patent Office had to say about their site selection criteria and methodology for choosing the three cities among hundreds of candidates in a supplemental document attached to the announcement press release.

"Selection of the four sites was based upon a comprehensive analysis of criteria including geographical diversity, regional economic impact, ability to recruit and retain employees, and the ability to engage the intellectual property community, among others...

The Dallas area provides the USPTO with a southern, central time zone hub from which to operate. The region is exceedingly rich in engineering talent, patent applicants, and patent grants. Dallas boasts an above average population of potential Veteran employees.

The Denver area provides the USPTO with a mountain time zone hub from which to operate. Empirical evidence demonstrates that Denver is a sought-after place to live and work with relatively low cost-of-living—a critical combination for the recruitment and retention of top talent. Further, the economic impact of a USPTO satellite office in the Denver region is projected to be disproportionate relative to most other cities. Denver also boasts an above average population of potential Veteran employees.

Silicon Valley provides the USPTO with a pacific time zone hub in the heart of California’s most vibrant innovation center. Silicon Valley, and the areas that surround it, contain many of the USPTO’s top filers as well as legions of start-up and small tech companies that depend on the USPTO. Further, Silicon Valley’s great quality of life and abundant population of engineering talent will provide fertile recruiting grounds for the Agency. The USPTO recognizes the challenges of retention in a hyper-competitive market, and will work to construct a concept of operations for the three offices that recognizes such challenges."