National Women’s Business Council sees an uptick in number of patents granted to women

The National Women’s Business Council has discovered the number of patents granted to women is trending up.  In 2008 women were granted 16,321 patents; in 2009 the number was 17,061; and in 2010 the amount surged 35% to 22,984.

NWBC Chair Donna James commented on the study:  "An increase in patent ownership may indicate growth in women-owned companies …," she said. "Very little research has specifically studied women business owners and intellectual property."

Scott Shane, Ph.D., Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western University has examined women entrepreneurship at the university level and feels our educational and research institutions are not providing enough encouragement and support. Dr. Shane shares the details of his research on how institutional biases are adversely affecting women entrepreneurs and what can be done about it in a BVR webinar on May 16.