Introducing IP Buddy: Your Resource for Intellectual Property Basics

IPOEF launched an exciting new free resource for creators, aspiring innovators, or those who are simply curious about IP and innovation. IP Buddy is a first-of-its-kind AI-powered digital assistant designed to make understanding intellectual property more approachable, engaging, and fun. Whether you’re participating in a STEM or invention program or you’re tinkering in your garage to develop the next big idea, this tool can help you learn more about how to protect your hard work. Built using a state-of-the-art language model similar to ChatGPT, IP Buddy is enhanced with specialized documentation and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) in order to deliver reliable, real-time answers tailored to your questions from sources that have been vetted by the top IP leaders.

IP Buddy was featured in the June issue of Inventors Digest magazine, now available online. As part of the ongoing efforts to expand education and awareness about IP, IPOEF is also pleased to share that we are now an official sponsor of Inventors Digest. Be sure to check out Inventors Digest for continued insights and features. Additional promotional efforts around IP Buddy are yielding strong results. Nielson Media Research reported that IP Buddy has reached over 16 million viewers. Interviews featuring Deputy Executive Director, Kristen Lurye, have aired more than 762 times, on 760 TV stations, and had over 2,600 website placements. This has resulted in almost 13,000 IP Buddy sessions and questions answered in the first month since launch. We look forward to sharing updates as IP Buddy continues to reach innovators around the country. Watch here to learn more about IP Buddy in a live interview with Deputy Executive Director, Kristen Lurye.

Select one of four avatars and try IP Buddy yourself at IPBuddy.ai or through IPOEF.org!

2025 Awards Celebration at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC

Join IPO Education Foundation on December 16 for the annual Awards Celebration at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC! IP practitioners, government officials, and attendees from all over the world take part in this event to promote IP awareness and support the work of IPOEF to further efforts to promote an understanding of and respect for intellectual property and its value to society. Registration is now open! Purchase a ticket or sponsor the event to support IPO Education Foundation and celebrate accomplishments in the fields of IP, innovation, and creativity!

Keep an eye out for additional updates including an announcement of the 2025 honorees later this summer. For more information about sponsorships, contact Deputy Executive Director, Kristen Lurye, klurye@ipo.org.

New Music and IP Education Toolkit

The Foundation celebrated World IP Day on April 26 with a new IP education resource. The Educate Committee developed new, turnkey materials to teach grades 6-12 about IP in the music industry. The materials provide an opportunity for students to experience IP in action through interactive scenarios and fun games – discuss what IP concepts are essential to starting a band or play a game to test musical trademark knowledge! Provide your contact information here to receive the new materials. Don’t forget the original “IP Education for Next Gen Innovators” toolkit covering IP fundamentals is also available for download at IPOEF.org. This new resource can serve as a complement to the original toolkit, giving students an opportunity to apply foundational IP concepts in a new and exciting context.

IP Education for Teachers and Non-IP Professionals

IPOEF is taking the current “IP Education for Next Gen Innovators” toolkit to the next level by creating an online course for educators and non-IP professionals to learn about intellectual property. The goal of this digital resource is to make IP accessible and easy to understand in order to prepare non-IP professionals to bring these concepts to their communities, whether it’s an employee outside of your IP department that wants to get involved with student outreach or a STEM teacher that doesn’t realize the value IP brings to their classroom. With this approach, the Foundation aims to reach a greater number of students while demonstrating the importance of IP to invention and STEM education. If you are connected with organizations that would benefit from free IP education, please share with foundation@ipo.org and we’ll reach out.

2025 Mid-Year Fundraising Campaign

IPOEF raised almost $12,000 during a one-week fundraising campaign thanks to the generous support of our donors! These donations support programs that empower students, teachers, and innovators through IP education. The goal of this mid-year fundraising campaign, held June 10-16, was to support the Foundation’s efforts going into the second half of the year to keep improving and creating important IP education resources. All of IPOEF’s activities and programs are made possible through the support of donors and sponsors. Thank you to all of the generous supporters who contributed to the campaign. We would not be able to make an impact without your support. For a full list of IPOEF donors visit IPOEF.org.

Still want to support IP education, but you missed the campaign? You can still support the Foundation by making a donation today. Every contribution counts. IPO Education Foundation is able to educate about the value of IP and inspire the next generation of innovators – because of your support.

Thank You Gold Donors