6.5.18 | National Academy of Inventors | Original Publication

Top university patent holders revealed in report authored by the NAI and IPO

TAMPA, Fla. (June 5, 2018) – The Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents in 2017 has been announced by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO). Data obtained from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is used to compile the report, which highlights the vital role patents play in university research and innovation.

Published annually since 2013 by the NAI and IPO, the report ranks the top 100 universities named as the first assignee on utility patents granted by the USPTO during the 2017 calendar year.

“The institutions on this list are doing incredible work promoting academic innovation and incubating groundbreaking technologies which exemplify the importance of technology transfer to institutional success,” said Paul R. Sanberg, president of the NAI. “We are proud to collaborate with the IPO for the sixth consecutive year and it is a privilege to showcase the vital contributions to society made by universities.”

The top 10 ranked universities worldwide in 2017 include: The University of California System, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The University of Texas System, Stanford University, Tsinghua University, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Johns Hopkins University, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), Harvard University and California Institute of Technology.

“University patents help to ignite a culture of growth and innovation which in turn stimulates local, regional, and global economies and generates funding for future research initiatives,” said Mark W. Lauroesch, IPO Executive Director. “The Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents is a report which demonstrates the critical role universities play in patents, licensing and commercialization.”

IPO’s Top 300 list of organizations that received the most U.S. utility patents during 2017 will be released for the 35th consecutive time later this summer.

The information provided in this list is based on data obtained from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. For this report, a university is defined as an institution that grants undergraduate-level degrees. Patents reported are utility patents granted during the 2017 calendar year. For patents with one or more entities, credit is given to the first named entity. The number of patents granted does not necessarily indicate the value of a university’s technology, the effectiveness of its research or whether its patents will be successfully licensed and/or brought to market. For inquiries or if you have a research foundation that should be combined with your university assignment in the future, contact: [email protected].

About the National Academy of Inventors
The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) is a member organization comprising U.S. and international universities and governmental and non-profit research institutes, with over 4,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 250 institutions, and growing rapidly. Our mission is to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the USPTO, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society.

About the IPO
The Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), established in 1972, is a trade association for owners of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. IPO is the only association in the U.S. that serves all intellectual property owners in all industries and all fields of technology. IPO advocates for effective and affordable IP ownership rights and provides a wide array of services to members, including: supporting member interests relating to legislative and international issues; analyzing current IP issues; information and educational services; and disseminating information to the general public on the importance of intellectual property rights.