Previously published by the State University System of Florida
TALLAHASSEE – Four State University System of Florida institutions are ranked among the top 25 public universities granted U.S. utility patents in 2016, according to a new report by the National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association. Also noteworthy, two are Florida Consortium of Metropolitan Research Universities, member institutions.
University of South Florida ranked 5th among public universities in the U.S. with 114 patents, University of Florida Research Foundation ranked 8th with 91 patents, University of Central Florida ranked 21st with 56 patents, and Florida State University ranked 23rd with 48 patents. Florida is a top producing state for U.S. patents. “We are proud of the excellent work by Florida’s public research universities in turning their innovative research into new products and companies,” said Marshall Criser III, chancellor of the State University System of Florida. “Academic research and its subsequent translation into inventions benefits the health and welfare of our citizens and acts as a powerful driver for our state’s growing economic success.”
The report uses data acquired from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to highlight the important role patents play in university research and innovation.
“The patents our universities produce represent important processes, products and treatments which provide significant societal benefit as well as generate job creation that sustains and helps grow our local, regional and global economy,” said Paul R. Sanberg, president of the National Academy of Inventors. “It is an honor to highlight the top patent holders through this report in collaboration with the Intellectual Property Owners Association for the fifth consecutive year.”
The four universities are Member Institutions of the National Academy of Inventors, as are all 12 universities in the State University System of Florida.
The National Academy of Inventors is a 501(c)(3) non-profit 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. The headquarters are located in the University of South Florida Research Park in Tampa. The Intellectual Property Owners Association, established in 1972, is a trade association for owners of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets.
“The Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents ranking continues to be an excellent tool in highlighting the outstanding work in patents being conducted in academia,” said Intellectual Property Owners Association Executive Director, Mark W. Lauroesch. “We are pleased to release this report alongside the National Academy of Inventors to bring a greater emphasis on the dynamic role universities play in patents, licensing and commercialization, while at the same time educating the next generation of inventors.”
The National Academy of Inventors and Intellectual Property Owners have published the report annually since 2013. The rankings are compiled by calculating the number of utility patents granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office which lists a university as the first assignee on the issued patent. The full report of the Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted Patents in 2016 can be found at http://www.academyofinventors.com/pdf/top-100-universities-2016.pdf.