I am happy to announce that I will be presenting on What Inventors Should Know about Patents, Trademarks and Copyright at MAKEHAVEN on Monday, September 8, 2025 from noon to 1:30 pm. MakeHaven, Inc. is a not-for-profit, membership-driven organization, gathering place workshop for makers, creators, tinkerers and dreamers. MAKEHAVEN is located at 770 Chapel St, lower level, New Haven, CT 06510. More information can be found here. https://www.makehaven.org/civicrm/event/info?id=545&reset=1
Author: m blake
Tonight’s Inventors Association of Connecticut meeting will be on “Recent Developments in Raising Capital”.
I will be attending tonight’s Inventors Association of Connecticut (IACT) meeting. Attorney Cliff Ennico will present on: “Living in the Wild, Wild West: Recent Developments in Raising Capital”. The meeting will be at the Milford Public Library at 6:30 pm tonight.
The last couple of years have seen several significant developments in private equity, such as: The increasing (albeit slowly) popularity of “crowdfunding” in the U.S.; Opening of venture capital funds to retail investors; Expansion of SEC rules for private placements that involve general solicitation or advertising; Widespread adoption (and abuse) of simple agreements for future equity (SAFEs) in venture capital financings; Streamlined regulation of private offerings at the state level; and Trump Administration initiatives that impact the capital raising process.
Which of these developments will be long-lasting, and which will be “flashes in the pan”? Is it time for you to start investing in crowdfunded startups and alternative currencies? In this exciting, fast-paced program you will learn about the legal and regulatory framework that is evolving for fintech from an attorney and author who has helped shaped the debate in this area.
More information can be found here.
National Association of Patent Practitioner’s Cruise
Enjoying Capitol River Cruise at NAPP Conference!
Heading to the National Association of Patent Practitioners conference in Washington DC!
I am on an Amtrak train heading towards Washington DC for the NAPP yearly conference. At the conference, I will see fellow patent attorneys and patent agents. We will be kept abreast of the latest developments in Patent preparation and prosecution, we will learn the latest about AI and software patent applications. For more information on the NAPP conference go here.
Milford Bar Association Summer Social!
I had a wonderful time last night at Cafe Melba in Milford, CT for the Milford Bar Association (MBA) Summer Social. It was nice to catch up with Milford attorneys over drinks and appetizers. More information on the MBA can be found here.
LULULEMON v. COSTCO—DUPES!
In this video I discuss a new case where a famous brand is suing a company for selling “dupes” of their famous clothing line.
Resources for Inventors
As many of you know I am the speaker chair for the Inventors Association of Connecticut (IACT), an inventor’s group located here in Connecticut. The president of our group Doug Lyon has prepared a list of resources for inventors, and I have decided to share them here.
State & Economic Development Agencies
DECD (Department of Economic and Community Development) Economic development initiatives and state-level funding. http://www.ct.gov/ecd/
Connecticut Innovations (CI) State-backed VC fund supporting startups with equity, loans, and tax credits. https://ctinnovations.com/
CTNext A subsidiary of CI focused on innovation grants, including SBIR support and Innovation Places. https://ctnext.com/
AdvanceCT Promotes economic growth in CT; offers a business support catalog and site-finder. https://www.advancect.org/
CT APEX (formerly PTAC) Government contract support for small businesses in CT. https://ctptac.org/
SCORE Connecticut Free small business mentoring and workshops. https://www.score.org/
Startup Support & Accelerator Programs
ABCT (Accelerator for Biosciences in CT) Accelerator for early-stage bioscience ventures. https://abct.co/
YEI (Yale Entrepreneurial Institute) Yale’s startup accelerator and funding resource. http://yei.yale.edu/
Entrepreneurship Foundation Offers mentorship and educational programs. https://entrepreneurshipfoundation.org/
Valley Venture Mentors (VVM) Startup support and prize funding (up to $250K). https://valleyventurementors.org/
RESET Hartford Workshops, shared space, accelerator program, and funding opportunities. https://www.resetco.org/
Univ. of Hartford Entrepreneur Center Free advising and student consulting for startups. https://www.hartford.edu/barney/about/centers-and-institutes/entrepreneurial-center/
Inventor & Innovation Resources
IACT (Inventors Association of CT) Inventor community and support network. http://www.inventus.org/
UConn IP Law Clinic Free IP legal services for qualified entrepreneurs. https://law.uconn.edu/…/intellectual-property-entrepreneurship-law-clinic/
UConn Technology Commercialization Services Incubator and startup services for university-affiliated ventures. http://research.uconn.edu/…/incubator-services/
UConn Patent Clinic Assists in navigating patent law for startups and researchers. https://law.uconn.edu/…/intellectual-property-entrepreneurship-law-clinic/
Funding Programs & Financial Support
SBIR/STTR Programs Federal non-dilutive funding for innovative small businesses. https://www.sbir.gov/ | https://ctnext.com/sbir-sttr-intake-form-2024/
Angel Investor Forum Group of CT-based angel investors funding early-stage ventures. http://www.angelinvestorforum.com/
Manufacturing Innovation Fund DECD-backed grants for manufacturing startups. https://portal.ct.gov/…/Manufacturing-Innovation-Fund
CT Small Business Boost Fund Flexible working capital loans. https://ctsmallbusinessboostfund.org/
WBDC Equity Match Grant Program Funding for women-owned small businesses. https://ctwbdc.org/equity-match-grant-program/
HEDCO Loan Programs Loans, including purchase order financing. https://www.hedcoinc.com/
Angel Investor Tax Credit Programs Tax credits for individuals investing in CT startups (including cannabis). https://ctinnovations.com/…/angel-investor-tax-credit-program/
Crowdfunding via Patronicity Community-matched funding. https://www.patronicity.com/sustainablect
CleanTech Open Northeast Pitch competitions and accelerator for cleantech startups. https://www.cleantechopen.org/
Tech, Manufacturing & Climate Resources
CCAT (CT Center for Advanced Technology) Manufacturing assessments, prototyping, and innovation support. https://www.ccat.us/
CONNSTEP Lean manufacturing, quality systems, and advanced technology support. https://www.connstep.org/
FORGE Supports physical product development and scaling. https://forgemass.org/
ClimateHaven Climate tech incubator in New Haven. https://www.climatehaven.tech/
Future Climate Venture Studio Climate-related startup accelerator. https://www.futureclimateventurestudio.com/
Maker & Co-working Spaces
MakeHaven (New Haven) Maker space with tools and workshops. https://www.makehaven.org/
The District (New Haven) Innovation campus and co-working community. https://www.districtnhv.com/
B-Hive (Bridgeport) Co-working and startup space. www.bhivebridgeport.com
Bridgeport Innovation Center Affordable offices for growing businesses. www.bridgeportinnovationcenter.com
Danbury Hackerspace Collaborative makerspace and incubator. www.danburyhackerspace.com
Hamden Business Incubator Startup and small business space. http://www.hamdeneconomicdevelopment.org/…
HubCap (Wallingford) Co-working and entrepreneurial hub. http://www.hubcapwallingford.com/
Colodesk (Shared Office) Coworking and business development services. www.colodesk.com
Comradity (Stamford) Strategy studio and innovation coworking. www.comradity.net/content
MakerspaceCT (Hartford) Largest makerspace in the state. https://makerspacect.com/
CT Hackerspace (Watertown) Tech-focused makerspace and community. www.cthackerspace.com
NESIT (Meriden) Nonprofit hackerspace for technology and crafts. http://nesit.org
Makers Guild (Fairfield County) Youth and adult STEAM education & prototyping. http://makersguildfc.com
Export, Diversity & Equity Resources
Naval & Maritime Consortium Maritime sector business support. https://www.nmconsortium.com/
CT Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) Women-focused business training and funding. https://ctwbdc.org/
KNOWNPreneurs Accelerator for BIPOC founders. https://www.nhvknown.com/knownpreneurs/
Collab New Haven Mentorship and startup support for underrepresented founders. https://collabnewhaven.org/
U.S. Department of Commerce Resources for international trade and exporting. https://www.trade.gov/
I just requested a new Patent Pro Bono case!
I am happy to announce that I just requested a second patent pro bono matter from the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts organization (VLA). I like to give back to the community at large, and providing pro bono patent, trademark, and copyright legal services is one way I can do that.
VLA is the leading legal aid and education organization dedicated to New York artists and its arts and cultural organizations. VLA strives to protect the artistic community’s livelihoods, businesses, and creative works through access to dedicated legal representation and focused education programs. For more information on the VLA please go here.
National Association of Patent Practitioners Mentorship Program
I just had a great mentorship meeting with a newly patent agent via the National Association of Patent Practitioner’s Mentorship Program.
The NAPP Mentorship Program is an initiative designed to connect experienced patent practitioners with those looking to learn and grow in the field. Whether you are seeking guidance as a mentee or looking to share your expertise as a mentor, this program offers a unique opportunity for professional development and meaningful connection.
More information can be found here.