The University of California System ranks first among the top 100 universities in the nation for the most U.S. patents granted for inventions in 2022. The list of Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents, released this week by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), is based on utility patents issued in calendar year 2022.
The list uses data from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to rank schools on the number of utility patents awarded throughout the year. Since 2013, NAI has published the Top 100 Worldwide Universities list, on which the UC system has been a perennial leader. The Top 100 U.S. Universities list “is meant to provide a more focused view of the national innovation landscape and the contributions made by U.S. academic institutions.”
A utility patent – sometimes called a “patent for invention” – is a patent that covers the creation of a new or improved product, process, or machine. The number of utility patents granted to a university or its research foundation is a key indicator of the degree to which its research activity has unique commercial potential for which the institution is seeking legal protection.
The rankings are not an indicator of a university’s overall value or effectiveness, but they offer a snapshot of an institution’s level of innovation, and they highlight the role patents play in translating university discoveries into useful technologies and new products.
“As a U.S. based national Academy, it is important to us not only to showcase innovation happening on the broader world stage, but here at home as well. Invention has been part of the American experience since the country’s inception, with intellectual property being protected in the Constitution”, said Jamie Renee, Executive Director of NAI, in a news release. “Innovation has always been at the heart of U.S. culture and the Top 100 U.S. Universities list allows us to recognize and celebrate the commitment these universities have to the American tradition of invention and protection of IP.”
The top 25 universities and the number of patents they were granted in 2022 are:
1.University of California system, 570
2.Massachusetts Institute of Technology 343
3.University of Texas system 225
4.Purdue University 192
5.Stanford University 184
6.Harvard University 179
7.California Institute of Technology 164
8.Arizona State University 160
9.Johns Hopkins University 159
10.University of Michigan 145
11.University of Florida Research Foundation 139
12.University of Wisconsin 132
13.Duke University 126
14.University of Colorado 115
15.University of Pennsylvania 108
16. University of Pittsburgh 105
17.Cornell University 103
18.Northwestern University 101
18.University of Minnesota system 101
20.University of Chicago 96
21.University of Massachusetts 94
22.University of Illinois 92
22.University of Arizona 92
24.Case Western Reserve University 90
25.University System of Maryland 89
Leaders of several of the highest ranked institutions were quick to comment on the significance of their place on the list.
Purdue University President Mung Chiang said the high ranking benefits Purdue in multiple ways.
“First, the ranking proves that the university’s researchers are making discoveries along a wide breadth of subjects from energy and manufacturing to medical devices and pharmaceuticals and beyond,” Chiang said. “Second, the USPTO issues patents only on innovations that are novel and useful. Purdue researchers are making discoveries that have not been seen before and serve a purpose to benefit people’s lives. Third, the ranking proves that Purdue has developed a culture where discovery is the first step, not the final destination. Industry partners and entrepreneurs are aware of Purdue resources to bring innovations to the marketplace.”
Evan Facher, the University of Pittsburgh’s vice chancellor for innovation and entrepreneurship and associate dean for commercial translation at the Pitt School of Medicine, said in his university’s new release, “While obtaining intellectual property protection is a major achievement, it is only one step on the journey to impact. We are pleased that more and more Pitt innovators are engaged in commercialization journeys, taking advantage of the expanding resources and funding offered through the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIE) and its partners, both across the university, and with industry and other external organizations.”
Arizona State University’s Sally C. Morton, executive vice president of ASU’s Knowledge Enterprise, commented, “ASU’s impressive No. 8 ranking underscores the innovative spirit of our faculty and their unwavering dedication to the pursuit of knowledge and discovery. We take pride in our role in advancing innovation and upholding the American tradition of invention. Transforming research into real-world solutions is what we are inspired and designed to do.”
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