This post was written in honor of National Women Inventors’ Month, which takes place in February, by Hera Hub member Frances Prado. Frances Prado is the inventor of the award-winning Hanging Secrets, the first lingerie and prosthetic organizer/protector, and the CEO of Ageless Beautiful Clever Creations, LLC. She has also been a production manager for Costco Wholesale for the past 22 years.
In all of U.S. society, the world of inventors demonstrates one of the greatest imbalances between genders.
Did you know that only 7% of patents have been issued to sole women inventors and only 0.3% have ever been issued to sole Latina inventors?
Patents are the proof of “ownership of an invention” and only the inventor can apply for a patent. In the past, women were not allowed equals rights of property ownership (patents are a form of intellectual property) and many women patented their inventions under their fathers or husband names. Women could not own patents in their own names until 1809.
FEMALE INVENTOR FACTS
Although men far out-weigh women inventors in numbers of patents held, women do invent things in typically male-dominated categories. Margaret A. Wilcox patented the first car heater in 1893. She also held patents for inventions like the combined clothes and dishwashing machine. We owe a debt of thanks to these and all of the other women who paved the way for us!
PATENT FACTS
Not all ideas submitted to the U.S. Patent Trademark office are patentable. Filing for a patent in the United States is a very tedious and complex process that often takes several years to determine weather or not the invention meets the U.S. trademark requirements. Once issued, the patented idea is protected for 20 years. (Please note: Most patented ideas never make it to the market.)
PATENTS CREATE JOBS
In 2010 The New York Times published Inventing Our Way Out of Joblessness about how patents stimulate the U.S. economy. According to their analysis of the 2008 Berkeley Data Patent Survey, each issued patent is associated with creating 3 to 10 jobs.
HOW DO WE SOLVE THE GENDER IMBALANCE?
We as a society need to encourage our girls at a very young age to solve problems on their own in order to build their confidence to explore all things, regardless of perceived gender restrictions. They must be exposed early in life to interests other than traditional female roles and they must be allowed to feel free to be creative outside of society’s limitations.
12 TRAITS OF SUCCESSFUL FEMALE INVENTORS
- They have the ability to visualize a need before society knows they even need it.
- • They understand the easiest part of the invention was creating it.
- • They produce a live prototype to ensure proper functionality. (Not a just a sketch)
- • They don’t become emotional attached to their invention…it’s a
business. - • They know they are the engine that drives the invention to the retail finish line. Period.
- • They understand at some point they will need to seek out expertise and surround
- themselves with the right resources.( i.e. Investors, Mentors, Media, Entrepreneurial Co-
- Workers spaces)
- • They know when it is the right time to file a patent.
- • They know when to sell their invention and move on to the next invention.
- • They maintain a sense of urgency when manufacturing a production sample, which can
- be a lengthy process.
- • They know who to show their invention to and who not to. (you need to show it to sell it)
- • The word No does not faze them; in fact, it fuels their passion even more.
- • They are Persistent, Passionate, Patient, and FEARLESS.
Even though history has demonstrated that female ingenuity has made great contributions to global society, women continue to struggle to achieve equality in the world of inventors.
Let’s change that!
About the author:
Frances is the proud daughter of immigrants who were once field workers in Bakersfield, California. At one point as a child, her family was homeless and sleeping in their car. Today, she is among the 7% of sole female inventors in the United States and among 0.3% of sole female Latina inventors who have ever been granted a patent in the United States. Her invention, Hanging Secrets, is on store shelves and available online! Connect with Frances on Twitter @Frances_Prado12
