LeadershIP

Advancing policy solutions at the intersection of intellectual property, technology standards, and innovation in support of U.S. economic and technological leadership

LeadershIP is an initiative of the RAI program focused on advancing policy solutions at the intersection of intellectual property (IP), technology standards, innovation, and national security. Over its decade-long history, LeadershIP has grown into a leading platform for convening policymakers, industry leaders, technologists, and scholars to address the most pressing challenges shaping U.S. and global innovation ecosystems. Its annual LeadershIP Conference, held each Spring in Washington, D.C., brings together a cross-sector community to engage with policymakers, media, and the public on the most important issues in innovation policy.

Beyond convenings, LeadershIP owns a portfolio of research and policy initiatives focused on strengthening the foundations of U.S. innovation, examining IP and standards challenges in critical and emerging technologies such as AI, quantum, and biotechnology, and analyzing the geopolitics of IP, standards, trade, and technology. By connecting these issues to broader economic security and technology priorities, LeadershIP aims to strengthen the foundations of the U.S. innovation ecosystem and sustain U.S. leadership in an increasingly competitive global landscape.

Launched in 2014, the initiative is guided by a distinguished group of advisers, including Hon. Andrei Iancu, Hon. Dr. Walt Copan, and founder Dr. Kirti Gupta, who help shape its research agenda and engagement with policymakers and stakeholders.

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Meet our network of experts, staff, and non-resident affiliates. 

Kirti Gupta

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LeadershIP 2026

March 25, 2026 • 9:00 am – 5:00 pm EDT

Scholars, policymakers, and industry experts discuss cutting-edge policy issues at the intersection of innovation, intellectual property, and national security.

Hosted by Renewing American Innovation
Photo: CSIS

Photo: CSIS

All LeadershIP Content

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Book Talk: The Big Steal with Prof. Jonathan Barnett

In The Big Steal: Ideology, Interest, and the Undoing of Intellectual Property, Prof. Jonathan Barnett tells the story of how intellectual property rights were steadily hollowed out just as the digital economy took off.

Event — March 26, 2026

LeadershIP 2026

Scholars, policymakers, and industry experts discuss cutting-edge policy issues at the intersection of innovation, intellectual property, and national security.

Event — March 25, 2026

Universities, Patents, and the Future of U.S. Competitiveness

The strength of the United States’ innovation system does not rest on government spending alone, but on the mutually supportive partnership between public investment, university research, and private enterprise. 

Commentary by Shruti Sharma and Chris Borges — December 15, 2025

U.S. Universities: Engines of Economic Growth

University research is a proven job creator, an engine of regional economic growth, and a generator of entirely new industries that also advance public health, improve wellbeing, and bolster national security.

Commentary by Sujai Shivakumar, Charles Wessner, Shruti Sharma, and Chris Borges — October 29, 2025

If Private Sector R&D Is the Future, IP Policy Must Catch Up

In a future where the U.S. innovation ecosystem depends more heavily on private-sector investment across all stages of research, secure and predictable IP protections will be increasingly essential for sustaining long-term R&D investment.

Blog Post by Chris Borges — September 8, 2025