ALBUQURQUE, New Mexico. June 6, 2017—The University of New Mexico (UNM) is among the Top 100 Worldwide Universities granted U.S. utility patents in 2016. The report is published by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) and uses data from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to highlight the important role patents play in university research and innovation.
The report ranks the University of New Mexico 33rd among the top 100 for the number of issued U.S. utility patents received in 2016 for its inventions.
The NAI and IPO 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 that list a university as the first assignee on the issued patent.
“We made a significant leap this year to 33rd in the world from 2015’s ranking of 47th,” said Lisa Kuuttila, CEO & Chief Economic Development Officer of STC.UNM, the University’s technology-transfer and economic-development organization. “Since 2013 when we were 56 among the top 100, we’ve climbed at a steady pace. Universities and university inventors are innovators and drivers of economic growth.”
“There is no question that the patents received each year by UNM inventors are a confirmation of the research quality and market potential of their new discoveries. However, the patents are equally important because they protect the inventors’ intellectual property rights. Our patented technologies are essential to the companies who want to license them and to our start-up companies who need investors to help them bring these new technologies to the marketplace. This relationship between patents and commercialization activity has an undeniable positive impact on local and global economies.”
“We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to our UNM inventors. They are the reason we continue to do so well among institutions around the world. They are our unsung heroes!”
The full report of the Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents in 2016 can be found at http://www.academyofinventors.com/pdf/top-100-universities-2016.pdf
About STC.UNM
As the technology-transfer and economic-development organization for the University of New Mexico (UNM), STC.UNM (STC) protects and commercializes technologies developed at UNM by filing patents and copyrights and transferring them to the marketplace. We connect the business community (companies, entrepreneurs and investors) to these UNM technologies for licensing opportunities and the creation of start-up companies. STC’s vision is to play a vital role in New Mexico’s economic development and to be a leader in technology commercialization. Under the leadership of CEO Lisa Kuuttila, STC is substantially growing its program using the Rainforest model to develop an innovation economy in New Mexico. To learn more about us, visit our website at http://www.stc.unm.edu.
About the National Academy of Inventors
The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) 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. It was founded in 2010 to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, 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. www.AcademyofInventors.org
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 public on the importance of intellectual property rights. www.ipo.org