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Browse patent help
Search curated static data for clinics, national programs, pro bono resources, and sample patent professionals that fit a founder's project.
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Showing 19 of 19 curated resources
Client-side searchUSPTO Patent Pro Bono Program
National USPTO program connecting qualifying inventors with regional patent pro bono programs.
Location
National, National
Eligibility
Independent inventors and small businesses who meet regional income and application requirements.
Technology focus
Hardware, Software, Medical devices, Consumer products, Life sciences
Response time
Varies by regional program
Why this is a good match
A dependable national fallback when a founder has no direct university clinic match.
Information to send
✓Contact information
✓Invention summary
✓Eligibility information
✓Public disclosure timeline
✓Requested legal help
USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program
USPTO certification program for law school clinics providing supervised patent and trademark services.
Location
National, National
Eligibility
Inventors accepted by participating law school clinics based on each clinic's intake criteria.
Technology focus
Hardware, Software, Biotech, Consumer products, Medical devices
Response time
Varies by clinic semester
Why this is a good match
Useful for founders who can work within an academic clinic intake cycle.
Information to send
✓Founder information
✓University affiliation
✓Invention summary
✓Drawings or figure list
✓Requested legal help
California Inventors Assistance Program
Regional placeholder for California patent pro bono routing.
Location
San Francisco, CA
Eligibility
California inventors and student founders who meet regional pro bono eligibility requirements.
Technology focus
Software, Hardware, Medical devices, Life sciences
Response time
2-4 weeks
Why this is a good match
Shows a regional route for startup-heavy California university founders.
Information to send
✓California connection
✓Invention summary
✓Eligibility information
✓Attorney packet PDF
Northeast Patent Pro Bono Network
Regional pro bono placeholder for New England and nearby startup ecosystems.
Location
Boston, MA
Eligibility
Early-stage inventors who meet regional income and application requirements.
Technology focus
Hardware, Mechanical, Software, Consumer products
Response time
2-3 weeks
Why this is a good match
Good fallback when a founder has a prepared packet and needs regional no-cost patent matching.
Information to send
✓Contact information
✓Invention summary
✓Income eligibility information
✓Attorney packet PDF
✓Drawings or figures
New York / New Jersey Patent Pro Bono Program
Regional placeholder serving founders in the New York and New Jersey ecosystem.
Location
New York, NY
Eligibility
New York and New Jersey inventors who meet pro bono intake criteria.
Technology focus
Software, Hardware, Biotech, Consumer products
Response time
2-4 weeks
Why this is a good match
A state/regional option when a direct campus clinic is not available.
Information to send
✓Founder information
✓State connection
✓Invention summary
✓Public disclosure timeline
Mid-Atlantic Patent Pro Bono Program
Regional placeholder for Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, DC, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Eligibility
Regional inventors and student founders who meet pro bono program requirements.
Technology focus
Hardware, Software, Medical devices, Life sciences
Response time
2-4 weeks
Why this is a good match
Useful for founders near Mid-Atlantic universities who need no-cost intake options.
Information to send
✓Contact information
✓Regional connection
✓Attorney packet PDF
✓Drawings
Southeast Patent Pro Bono Program
Regional placeholder for patent pro bono routing across the Southeast.
Location
Atlanta, GA
Eligibility
Southeast inventors and student founders who meet regional intake criteria.
Technology focus
Hardware, Software, Medical devices, Consumer products
Response time
2-5 weeks
Why this is a good match
A strong fallback for founders at major startup-heavy universities in the Southeast.
Information to send
✓Contact information
✓State connection
✓Invention summary
✓Requested legal help
Texas and Gulf Coast Patent Pro Bono Program
Regional placeholder for Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma patent pro bono routing.
Location
Austin, TX
Eligibility
Texas and Gulf Coast inventors who meet regional pro bono criteria.
Technology focus
Software, Hardware, Energy, Mechanical, Medical devices
Response time
2-4 weeks
Why this is a good match
Helpful for energy, software, and hardware founders in major South Central university ecosystems.
Information to send
✓Founder information
✓State connection
✓Invention summary
✓Company status
Midwest Inventors Patent Pro Bono Network
Regional placeholder for Midwest patent pro bono routing.
Location
Chicago, IL
Eligibility
Midwest inventors who meet regional income and application requirements.
Technology focus
Hardware, Software, Mechanical, Medical devices, Consumer products
Response time
2-5 weeks
Why this is a good match
Good fallback for engineering-heavy Midwest university founders.
Information to send
✓Contact information
✓Invention summary
✓Income eligibility information
✓Attorney packet PDF
Rocky Mountain Patent Pro Bono Program
Regional placeholder for Mountain West patent pro bono routing.
Location
Denver, CO
Eligibility
Mountain West inventors who meet regional pro bono requirements.
Technology focus
Hardware, Software, Energy, Mechanical, Medical devices
Response time
2-4 weeks
Why this is a good match
Useful for founders in hardware, energy, and research-intensive Mountain West ecosystems.
Information to send
✓State connection
✓Invention summary
✓Drawings
✓Public disclosure timeline
Pacific Northwest Patent Pro Bono Program
Regional placeholder for Pacific Northwest patent pro bono routing.
Location
Seattle, WA
Eligibility
Pacific Northwest inventors and student founders who meet regional criteria.
Technology focus
Software, Hardware, Clean technology, Consumer products
Response time
2-4 weeks
Why this is a good match
A practical fallback for Northwest founders when campus clinic capacity is limited.
Information to send
✓Contact information
✓Invention summary
✓Drawings
✓Requested legal help
National Rural Inventors Pro Bono Placeholder
National fallback placeholder for states without a modeled regional intake partner.
Location
National, National
Eligibility
Inventors in states where a more specific regional placeholder is not yet modeled.
Technology focus
Hardware, Mechanical, Consumer products, Agriculture
Response time
Varies
Why this is a good match
Keeps the experience useful even when yPatents has not yet modeled a specific local clinic.
Information to send
✓Contact information
✓Invention summary
✓State connection
✓Requested legal help
Yale Entrepreneurship & Innovation Clinic
Sample university clinic record for Yale-affiliated student founders preparing invention materials.
Location
New Haven, CT
Eligibility
Yale-affiliated founders and early-stage ventures selected through clinic intake.
Technology focus
Software, Hardware, Life sciences, Consumer products
Response time
1-3 weeks
Why this is a good match
Best match when the founder is affiliated with Yale and needs early legal review before outside counsel.
Information to send
✓Yale affiliation
✓Invention summary
✓Contributor list
✓Public disclosure timeline
✓Questions for attorney review
BU/MIT Student Patent Clinic
Sample university clinic record for Boston-area student founders needing supervised patent preparation help.
Location
Boston, MA
Eligibility
Student founders and university teams accepted through clinic intake.
Technology focus
Hardware, Software, Medical devices
Response time
5-7 days
Why this is a good match
Strong fit for connected hardware projects from Boston-area university founders.
Information to send
✓University affiliation
✓Invention summary
✓Drawings
✓Public disclosure timeline
✓Requested legal help
Duke Startup Ventures Clinic
Sample clinic record for Research Triangle student founders.
Location
Durham, NC
Eligibility
Research Triangle student founders accepted through clinic intake.
Technology focus
Software, Medical devices, Life sciences, Hardware
Response time
1-3 weeks
Why this is a good match
Pairs well with university startup teams preparing medical device or software disclosure packets.
Information to send
✓University affiliation
✓Invention summary
✓Company status
✓Requested legal help
Sample Data: Elm City IP Group
Realistic placeholder local patent/IP firm record. This is sample data, not a live referral.
Location
New Haven, CT
Eligibility
Founders prepared to speak with a patent attorney about review or filing strategy.
Technology focus
Hardware, Software, Mechanical
Response time
2-5 days
Why this is a good match
Useful when a founder has a mature packet and wants faster attorney review outside clinic cycles.
Information to send
✓Attorney packet PDF
✓Founder contact information
✓Company status
✓Requested review timeline
Sample Data: Cambridge Patent Studio
Realistic placeholder patent/IP firm record for testing. This is sample data.
Location
Cambridge, MA
Eligibility
Student founders seeking an initial fixed-fee patent preparation consultation.
Technology focus
Software, AI-enabled products, Hardware
Response time
3-5 days
Why this is a good match
Good for founders who want a lightweight first review after organizing a disclosure packet.
Information to send
✓Invention summary
✓Drawings
✓Public disclosure timeline
✓Questions for attorney review
Sample Data: Palo Alto IP Lab
Sample local IP firm for Bay Area startup-heavy university founders.
Location
Palo Alto, CA
Eligibility
Founders ready for attorney review and possible filing strategy discussion.
Technology focus
Software, AI-enabled products, Hardware, Medical devices
Response time
2-5 days
Why this is a good match
A nearby sample option for founders who have organized invention materials and want rapid private review.
Information to send
✓Attorney packet PDF
✓Invention summary
✓Drawings
✓Company status
Sample Data: Austin Patent Counsel
Sample local IP firm for Austin and Texas university founders.
Location
Austin, TX
Eligibility
Student founders prepared for an initial patentability and filing conversation.
Technology focus
Software, Hardware, Energy, Mechanical
Response time
3-6 days
Why this is a good match
Useful when the founder wants a market-rate private option alongside pro bono routes.
Information to send
✓Founder contact information
✓Attorney packet PDF
✓Public disclosure timeline
✓Requested legal help