The Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents in 2021 report* was released today by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO). The report uses data obtained from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and highlights the vital role patents play in university research and innovation. 
 

Published annually since 2013, the report ranks the top 100 universities named as the first assignee on utility patents granted by the USPTO in the 2021 calendar year. The full report can be found here.


“Innovation based on university technology continues to be a key factor in economic development. The expansion of technology and innovation are fundamental to the success of a university,” said Paul R. Sanberg, president of the National Academy of Inventors. “The NAI is pleased to be releasing this list of the top innovation universities in the world in conjunction with the IPO for the tenth year in a row.”

 

“University patents ignite a culture of growth and innovation which, in turn, stimulates the economy," said Jessica Landacre, Executive Director at the IPO. “We are pleased to partner with NAI to publish the Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents.”

There are 57 Member Institutions of the NAI represented this year in the Top 100. They hold an aggregate total of 4,663 patents spanning a wide variety of fields, such as medicine, technology, and engineering. The IPO Top 300 Patent Owners List, published annually since 1985, ranks organizations worldwide that received the most U.S. utility patents during the previous calendar year. It lists the total number of patents for 2021’s Top 100 universities (including U.S. and international universities) to be 7,665.

*Note: 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 2021 calendar year. When a patent is assigned to 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 info@academyofinventors.org.