Robert Atkinson

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).

Explainer: How IP Rights Promote Innovation

By Chris Borges Intellectual Property (IP) rights, such as patents, copyrights, and trade secrets, are more than legal instruments; they are vital drivers of innovation and critical components of U.S. economic and national security strategies. This connection was evident to the U.S. founders, who enshrined IP protections in the U.S. Constitution
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Innovation and IP Challenges in Key Sectors: Insights from LeadershIP 2025

By Anne Pritchett I recently had the pleasure of moderating a panel at the 2025 LeadershIP Conference, featuring experts across sectors discussing innovation and intellectual property (IP) challenges inside and outside the United States. The conversation focused on the current state of the U.S. and global IP systems, key challenges
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(Transcript) 2025 LeadershIP Conference Panel IV: Architecting the Future: Call to Action for Innovation Policy

This transcript is from the 2025 LeadershIP Conference hosted at CSIS on April 1st, 2025. Watch the full video here. (DOWNLOAD) LeadershIP 2025 – Panel IV Transcript Panel Description: There are several legislative proposals on the table today affecting IP, antitrust, and competition. Is more (or less) needed to
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