About
Our Mission
The mission of the USF Young Innovator Competition is to promote innovation and creativity in
young people by motivating them to solve problems and improve upon the things
around them. In doing so, children discover why education gives them
increasingly more powerful tools and resources to solve bigger problems and
challenges.
Tax Status
Contest Director
Anton Hopen is an 1991 honors graduate of the University of South Florida in
Interdisciplinary Science and a 1995 graduate of the University of Florida
College of Law where he received the Presidential Recognition Award for
Outstanding Achievement. Mr. Hopen is admitted to practice before the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office, all U.S. District Courts in Florida, the Eleventh
Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He
has been recognized as an expert in intellectual property law by the Wall Street
Journal which frequently publishes his opinion on complex intellectual property
matters. Mr. Hopen regularly lectures at the University of Florida College of
Law, Florida State University, and the University of South Florida on
intellectual property law. He has also appeared in the Business Journal, Law
Review, Money Magazine and Biotechnology Law Report. Mr. Hopen is "AV" rated by
Martindale-Hubble and is the director of Innovation Express teaching young
students about Intellectual Property Law. He is Board Certified in
Intellectual Property Law by the Florida Bar and is managing partner at
Smith &
Hopen, U.S. Patent Attorneys. Mr. Hopen was inducted as an Honorary Member of the National Academy of Inventors in 2010.
Background of the Contest
Innovation is a tough business. A small segment of society looks to improve
things they see around them. These individuals are fountains of ideas, most of
which will never be materialized. That is probably a good thing since only a
small fraction of new inventions become profitable. However, without motivation
to take
risks and think differently we would not have the wonders of modern
medicine, computers or spacecraft. Credit is due to a special 11-year old that
conceived of the Innovation Express vision. Anna's new inventions come forth on
a daily basis. Having a patent attorney as a father poses benefits and
frustration to a child. With each invention new challenges and problems are
identified that require solutions. Those new problems drive the need for
research, learning and further exploration. Invention is not a single act but a
process that can last a lifetime. Innovation comes in incremental steps and,
sometimes, in leaps of genius. While Albert Einstein's General Theory of
Relatively may be considered the supreme intellectual achievement of the human
species, he was only ten years old when a family friend, Max Talmud, introduced
him to key science, mathematics and philosophy texts. By nature, children are
creative and unconstrained in their thinking. However, creativity and talent are
not enough. Without the foundation of a quality education innovative minds lack
the tools to bring their inspiration to life. Thus, our objective is to
simultaneously foster the creative spirit with an appreciation for the core
education needed to make childhood dreams a reality.
Innovation Express Corporation is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit entity working closely with the University of South Florida, National Science Foundation and other non-profit entities.
Contact us at
info@innovationexpress.org