Robert Atkinson

March 18, 2022

As founder and president of ITIF, recognized as the world’s top think tank for science and technology policy, Rob Atkinson leads a prolific team of policy analysts that is successfully shaping the debate and setting the agenda on a host of critical issues at the intersection of technological innovation and public policy. During the Obama administration he served as co-chair of the White House U.S. China Innovation Experts Group, and is the author of numerous books, including Big is Beautiful: Debunking the Mythology of Small Business (MIT Press, 2018).

The United States Needs a National Standards Strategy

July 16, 2025

By Richard Taffet and Chris Borges Competition among nations for technological and economic leadership is intense, especially between the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The PRC has followed a decades-long, targeted strategy focused on leadership in critical and emerging technologies (CETs), and, according to some, it has

How Most-Favored Nation Policy Could Undermine U.S. Leadership

July 10, 2025

By Dr. Anne Pritchett The United States is the global leader in biopharmaceutical innovation. This leadership is built on the pillars of strong intellectual property protection, substantial investment in research and development (R&D), and a robust innovation ecosystem. These factors, combined with a market-based system that supports competitive drug pricing, encourage innovation and

U.S. Patenting Abroad — A Quiet Trade Advantage

May 27, 2025

By Chris Borges Although patents are territorial, meaning they are limited to the jurisdiction in which they are granted, the networks spanning innovation and commerce are global. U.S. inventors routinely seek patent protection in markets abroad to safeguard their innovations, facilitate exports, and access new customers. By requiring member states