CARBONDALE (SIU NEWS) – The Trademark Boot Camp, a no-cost workshop at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, will provide entrepreneurs, small businesses, inventors and others with all the valuable information about trademarks and why they matter.

The workshop is set for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Center for Innovation, located at 1745 Innovation Drive in Carbondale.

The boot camp is provided by the Illinois Small Business Development Center at SIU and the SIU Office of Innovation and Economic Development in conjunction with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). It will cover a wide variety of topics such as what trademarks are, intellectual property, risk management and the benefits of trademark registration. The basics of the registration process will be summarized, and organizers will discuss why it’s important for any new business to select a trademark that can be registered with the federal government and protected legally.

Workshop topics include:

• Tips for searching the database.
• Filing trademark applications.
• Responding to USPTO communications.
• Completing the registration process.

There will also be a discussion about free resources offered by USPTO and question-and-answer sessions presented throughout the day. Lunch is also provided for participants.

While there is no fee to attend, advance registration is required by 8 a.m. Feb. 6 or until spots are filled. Sign up online.

For more information about the Illinois Small Business Development Center at SIU or the many services it provides, visit the website, call 618-536-2424 or email sbdc@siu.edu.