An Open Letter on the Creation of The Disabled Inventors Foundation

 

Three out of four people with disabilities are outside the labor force. That’s according to an April 2022 report by the National Disability Institute. Barriers include lack of control, choice, and flexibility with respect to traditional work schedules, environments, and processes.

For people with disabilities, entrepreneurship offers a valuable path to financial freedom, let alone stability. I know from personal experience how a chronic disabling condition can cause intermittent periods where one is unable to work. I have bipolar I disorder, an anxiety disorder, and complex PTSD that led to unemployment, bankruptcy, and collecting Social Security Disability benefits. I’ve seen how the ability to establish a passive income stream while you’re well that can support you when you’re not well can be particularly empowering for those with disabilities.

But this path comes with its own barriers, including high start-up costs and a lack of support programs tailored to the needs and challenges of disabled individuals. In particular, patent protection for even the simplest inventions often costs tens of thousands of dollars and takes several years of back-and-forth haggling with the patent office. And although programs exist to provide free or reduced patent services to those in need, they’re typically unable to meet the level of demand.

 

That’s why I created The Disabled Inventors Foundation. It’s a non-profit to provide free or reduced-cost patent services to disabled inventors.

 

The Disabled Inventors Foundation is open to anyone with a disability who demonstrates a financial hardship, including physical, mental, or developmental disabilities. Volunteer attorneys will be compensated on a low flat fee basis that is underwritten by donations/grants. In that way, we will supplement existing pro bono patent programs by diverting those with disabilities and allow those programs to use their precious resources for the next people on their lists.

 

Our full website is coming soon, and I’ll be sharing more information about the organization, our Board of Directors, updates, and more.

 

In the meantime, here’s a few little tidbits about our logo. I designed it myself and incorporated a Fibonacci spiral design because it’s a symbol of resilience and creation. I also thought it’s vaguely reminiscent of sketches in a da Vinci notebook.

For more information, please drop me a line at edergenzinger@disabledinventors.org.

 

Best regards,
 

 

Ed Ergenzinger, JD, PhD
Founder and President

The Disabled Inventors Foundation