After celebrating its 10th anniversary, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) Denver regional hub is shutting down permanently, a move that comes amid the ongoing federal government shutdown and follows the recent exit of its longtime director, Molly Kocialski.
Kocialski, who led the Rocky Mountain Regional Outreach Office, departed her position after nearly a decade because she felt that her role had become unrecognizable. She expressed her disappointment about the diminishing impact of the office in supporting inventors and entrepreneurs across the region.
More than 30 employees have already been let go, and it is expected that over 300 telework employees will now report to the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.
Established in 2014, the Rocky Mountain Regional Outreach Office was the first U.S. Patent and Trademark Office satellite outside Washington, D.C. It served a nine-state region consisting of Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Utah.
Kocialski emphasized that the office played a crucial role in connecting local entrepreneurs and inventors with federal resources, providing access to assistance that was essential for innovation.
However, she noted that the office’s outreach efforts had drastically reduced under the Trump administration, stating that while the office once conducted 75-80 outreach events per quarter, that number had plummeted to only 10-15 in the past year.
On top of the significant decrease in outreach endeavors, Kocialski stated that the administration had systematically restricted office functions, including a complete travel ban for staff within the nine-state region.
The establishment of the office was driven in part by Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, who played a key role in its creation. Bennet expressed disappointment at the decision to close the office, emphasizing Colorado’s position as a hub of innovation.
Despite the closure, Bennet remains optimistic about Colorado’s ability to maintain its innovative economy, stating that the regional patent office’s absence will not hinder the state’s entrepreneurial spirit.
Kocialski acknowledged that patent activity had been on the rise, especially in Colorado, highlighting an array of innovation, from agritech to quantum research and a growing space industry.
Yet, she fears that the closure of the office will impact the broader ecosystem of innovation in the region, mentioning the detrimental effects it could have on small businesses and independent creators who will lose access to personalized support.
She emphasized that the lack of local access makes aspiring inventors more vulnerable to scams and that valuable personal connections, like assisting young inventors, will be lost.
In a formal statement released on Wednesday, the USPTO confirmed the office’s permanent closure, citing high overhead costs and a reduced staff as primary factors.
The agency stated that a typical regional office incurs over $1 million in leased office space and related expenses, and as of December 2024, the number of employees in the Rocky Mountain office had dropped to below ten.
In response to the USPTO’s statement, Kocialski expressed disbelief, claiming that the number of employees had regularly exceeded 30, including examiners, supervisory patent examiners, and judges.
She noted that the Denver office also housed other federal employees, including those from NASA and NIH, and argued that the actual number of employees physically present in the office was above 50, with many others teleworking.
While the USPTO’s statement on operations left many questions unanswered, an alert on the regional office’s website indicated that the agency would remain operational under reserves from previous years’ fee collections.
The reasons behind the closure remain unclear, but Kocialski suspects it may relate to targeting federal offices in politically opposing states, especially given Colorado’s legal battles with the Trump administration.
Kocialski highlighted that the administration’s actions may be part of a broader pattern of retaliation against states that challenge it politically.
She expressed concerns that the closure represents not only a loss for the staff but also a significant setback for the innovation landscape in Colorado, jeopardizing valuable connections and resources for inventors.
The closure of the Denver hub of the USPTO signifies a pivotal moment in the region’s efforts to foster innovation, raising apprehensions about the future accessibility of vital patent resources for local entrepreneurs and inventors.
image source from：cpr
