The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced the winners of this year's Patents for Humanity program on August 9, 2018.  The Patents for Humanity is a competition recognizing innovators who use patented technology to address global humanitarian challenges. The applicants compete in the categories of medicine, nutrition, sanitation, energy, and living standards.  The award recipients receive public recognition at a ceremony hosted by the USPTO, and obtain a certificate to accelerate select matters before the patent office. This year, the program recognized nine award recipients and six honorable mentions.

Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office Andrei Iancu said, “By recognizing and honoring these innovators whose creativity and curiosity dared them to solve some of the toughest humanitarian challenges, we hope this program will continue to inspire countless more to follow in their footsteps." The USPTO launched the Patents for Humanity program as a pilot program in 2012. To date, the program has received hundreds of applications and has awarded over thirty-two patent holders with a Patents for Humanity Award or an honorable mention.

For more information and a list of the winners