With 37 utility patents, the University of Houston ranks among the top 100 global universities for the number of utility patents issued in 2020. Utility patents are among the most valuable assets in the world, covering new, useful processes or machines, the patents generally thought to improve quality of life.
The University of Houston is No. 79 on the list, joining two other Texas universities in the top 100 – The University of Texas and Texas A&M University.
Since 2013, The National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association have published this list of top-performing public and private institutions, using data from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. UH has ranked among the top 100 global universities for the past six years.
"The University of Houston is making critical contributions to science and engineering and hence to society, driven by our overarching goal to improve the quality of life. This ranking reflects our dedication to addressing the most pressing problems faced by society, including energy technology and medical care," said Amr Elnashai, vice president/vice chancellor for research and technology transfer at UH.
Central to the success of moving technologies from the lab to the marketplace is the UH Technology Bridge. With 30,000 square feet of incubator space and over 700,000 square feet of space suited for laboratories, pilot-scale facilities and light manufacturing, the Technology Bridge – located on the Gulf Freeway a few miles from campus – houses 28 startups.
The University of California System topped the list, with 59726 patents issued in 2020, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with 383.
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.
