TAMPA, FL. – Five Florida universities rank in the top 60 institutions granted U.S. utility patents according to the Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents in 2020 report 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 first assignee on utility patents granted by the USPTO in the 2020 calendar year. The full report can be found here.
The Florida State University System institutions included in the Top 100 and their rankings are as follows:
- 11 – University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated – 140 patents
- 15 – University of South Florida – 123 patents
- 42 – Florida International University – 60 patents
- 60 – University of Central Florida – 46 patents
- 84 – Florida State University – 35 patents
“These five Florida universities are conducting groundbreaking fundamental research that impacts not only Florida but the entire world,” said Alan Levine, chair of the Board of Governors’ Academic and Research Excellence Committee. “We are incredibly proud of the innovative work our universities do to improve the human condition and contribute to economic expansion. We are truly leading the nation.”
These five universities are Member Institutions of the NAI, as are all 12 universities in the State University System of Florida (SUS). The 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.
“The institutions included in this year’s report are leading innovation worldwide through their encouragement of academic discovery and invention,” said Paul R. Sanberg, president of the NAI. “We are proud to collaborate with the IPO for the eighth consecutive year to highlight universities that have made critical contributions to society.”
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. This year’s report on 2020 patents was published in January, 2021.
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Facts about the State University System of Florida and the Board of Governors
The State University System of Florida is a constitutional body led by the 17-member Board of Governors. The system has 12 universities and more than 420,000 students, making it the second-largest public university system in the nation. Responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution and managing the system’s coordination and operation. The Board appoints a Chancellor who serves as the System’s chief executive. For more, visit flbog.edu or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About the National Academy of Inventors
The National Academy of Inventors 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 worldwide. It was founded in 2010 to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (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. The NAI works collaboratively with the USPTO and publishes the multidisciplinary journal, Technology and Innovation. www.academyofinventors.org.
About the IPO
The Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) is a trade association for owners of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. IPO is the only association in the U.S. that serves and advocates for all intellectual property owners in all industries and all fields of technology.