To Understand Why Americas Lead In Tech And Innovation Is Eroding, Look At Chinas Investment In Women Inventors

© CFOTO/Future Publishing/Getty Images

Realizing that China needs more innovators to compete with America in the race for global technological leadership, it is working strategically to expand its innovation capabilities. This is why China is eating America's lunch with its number one display of technological prowess.

More from Resources: 5 Part-Time Jobs That Will Earn You Over $20,000 a Year For extra income? This CD currently has a 5.15% API. Buy a house? Here's How Much You'll Need to Save Here's How Much You'll Need to Earn Each Year to Comfortably Buy a $600,000 Home

A new World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) study on international patent filings found that between 2001-2005 and 2016-2020, the number of female inventors in China grew twice as fast as in the United States: 42 percent in China compared to 22 percent in China. As US President Biden promised in his State of the Union address, America must have access to all culturally available skills. - Transforming creativity and increasing the flow of creativity.

Our elected officials already know the dangers of allowing other countries to stop our innovation. In a rare and powerful display of bipartisanship, Congress passed the CHIPS and SCIENCE Act last summer to support American innovation like artificial intelligence, clean energy, 5G and other cutting-edge technologies to keep America's innovators moving forward. This is not only to maintain US leadership in these areas with China, but also to innovate new technologies.

A WIPO study shows that the United States lags behind China and much of the world in its efforts to fully exploit our innovation potential. From 2016 to 2020, the United States ranked 13th (below the global average) in the proportion of patents involving women. China ranks fourth after Colombia, Spain and Egypt.

Globally, a WIPO report shows that one in eight inventors named on patents is a woman, and only 4% of invention patents by inventors or groups are granted to women. These numbers reflect not only widespread global talent underutilization, but also persistent gender bias in creative fields around the world.

According to a WIPO study, international patent applications could reach gender parity within four decades. This already dismal pace can be further slowed by crises like the Covid-19 pandemic, which has forced more women scientists than men to leave the lab to care for their families.

Innovations play a central role in economic growth and entrepreneurship. The strength of a country's patent protection is a reliable indicator of its commitment to the rule of law and its ability to stimulate innovation. The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) estimates that IP-based industries account for more than 40% of US economic activity and generate 63 million jobs, including 44% of the US workforce.

American women's shortage of patent inventors can be addressed. President Biden revived Made in America during his first two years in office. Now we must ensure that everyone has the opportunity to "invent America." New laws, policies and practices of the private sector can improve science and technology education, mentoring and employment: for example, improving access to and funding for research and patent legal support, improving and improving the provision of child and family care services. Leave of absence for sick leave. and ensuring that universities and private sector workplaces are included.

The need for change is linked to economic and technological competition, equality and righting historical wrongs. Many studies show that creative teams are more diverse, more creative and creative.

In a report released last October, the USPTO's Office of the Chief Economist cited the continued under-representation of women in the patent process as a "barrier to American innovation and prosperity" and estimated that women patenting would result in significant increases in productivity. Same rate as women. They were men. . "Gender diversity significantly drives the innovation process: women's experiences and perspectives help inform and improve the quantity and quality of innovation," the report said.

Governments, academia, and the private sector must encourage greater participation in innovation and patenting for women, people of color, and other historically underrepresented groups to fully contribute to the creative economy.

The global race for innovation continues and the stakes are higher than ever. America can continue to lead, but only if we harness the power of all our talents to maximize our creative potential.

Holly Fechner is executive director of Hall Innovation, a coalition of universities, nonprofits, corporations and other stakeholders to empower everyone.

Opinions expressed on Fortune.com are solely those of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and beliefs of Fortune.com .

This story originally appeared on Fortune.com.

More from Fortuna:

5 Part Time Jobs That Make Over $20,000 a Year From Home

Do you want to earn more money? This CD currently has an APY of 5.15%

Buy a house? You can save yourself that

How much do you need to make each year to afford a comfortable $600,000 home?

Science in America - Neil deGrasse Tyson