Mission

IP awareness is everyone’s business

What patents, copyrights and trademarks (and trade secrets) achieve is unclear to most people. A better understanding of the strengths and weakness of the IP system — and how IP rights impact business and society — benefits everyone, including consumers, students and entrepreneurs.

Understanding IP basics enhances respect for creative expression and facilitates jobs.

Our Mission

The Center for Intellectual Property Understanding is an independent non-profit organization that  facilitates discussion and disseminates information about the impact of IP rights, including patents, copyrights and trademarks.

It helps audiences to understand how invention rights serve to facilitate innovation, support commerce and build a better society. CIPU monitors IP awareness and attitudes and seeks to improve IP reputation and deter theft.

Within everyone’s grasp

With access often little more than a tap away much intellectual property appears to be there for the taking – or feels as if it should be. At the heart of the matter is confusion about what IP rights cover and their acceptable use.

IP infringers come in many shapes and sizes. They can be individuals, businesses or even nations. Knowing which IP behaviors are acceptable is not intuitive, but they can be readily learned — a working knowledge IP basics is within everyone’s grasp.