Are you an attorney looking to volunteer for Gulf South Invents? Let us know here!

Gulf South Invents works with residents, small businesses and grass roots nonprofits in Louisiana, Mississippi & Alabama seeking to file their initial patent application. We do this by matching you with attorneys and agents registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. These services are available as part of the  Patent Pro Bono Program for independent inventors and small businesses.

To be eligible, all must:

  • Be a resident or a business of Louisiana, Mississippi, or Alabama.

  • Meet the income requirements listed below.

  • Have either attended an Ella Project Bar Napkin Inventions Patent workshop, or completed the USPTO’s online tutorial.

  • Have no obligations to assign the invention.

  • Have performed a prior art search.

  • If you have filed a provisional patent application, it must be no less than 120 days before the one-year expiration date of that provisional patent application.

  • Have previously filed no more than three non-provisional applications.

  • Be able to pay all USPTO fees related to your patent application. Click here for an example.

  • Pay the onetime application fee to The Ella Project once matched with an attorney.

INCOME Eligibility

For individuals, have a gross household income should be less than three times the federal poverty level guidelines. If you meet all these criteria, please complete the application below.

For small businesses and nonprofits, have a total revenue from the most recent fiscal year of $200,000 or less. There also must be no more than four inventors to be listed on your application. If your business/organization meets all these criteria, please go here for the organizational application.

Submit your application here!