Patent Defense.
A national invitation-only forum and competition for young inventors. Hosted annually by Young Inventors of America, Patent Defense brings together selected student inventors from across the country to defend their inventions before a panel of patent attorneys, university-affiliated faculty, and innovation leaders.
Rigorous examiner-style questioning.
Patent Defense is designed to recognize exceptional young inventors capable not only of building ideas, but defending them under pressure. Participants face oral evaluation across the dimensions a patent examiner would weigh.
- Novelty
- Technical reasoning
- Prior art
- Patent claims
- Real-world application
- Cash prizes
- National recognition
- Formal distinction from the forum evaluators
Who receives invitations?
Students may be invited through any of the following channels.
Recognition earned through defense.
Patent Defense evaluates not only invention quality, but the inventor's capacity to think, communicate, and stand behind their work.
- Clarity of thought
- Technical understanding
- Communication ability
- Intellectual rigor
- Composure under questioning
- Licensed US patent attorneys
- University-affiliated faculty
- Innovation and technical professionals
- Cash awards
- Formal recognition
- Distinction within the Young Inventors of America network
Defend your invention on a national stage.
Patent Defense is held each summer and admits inventors by nomination or selection. Request invitation details to learn about eligibility and the next convening.