The University of Oklahoma is the only university in the state to have ranked among the Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted Utility Patents in 2022, a list published by the National Academy of Inventors. This new list was created to highlight and celebrate American innovation and to showcase the role universities play in advancing the innovation ecosystem within the U.S. and beyond. OU ranked No. 72.
In fiscal year 2023, 36 OU faculty received 26 patents. Growth in OU-led patents stems from strategies defined in OU’s “Lead On, University” Strategic Plan, such as simplifying intellectual property options for corporate-sponsored research and the establishment of the iPath program for OU innovators.
“At OU, we are committed to harnessing our ingenuity and creativity to make a meaningful impact on society, and the ability of our faculty to move groundbreaking discoveries to the marketplace is critical to that effort,” said OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. “This recognition validates our strategy to prioritize technology commercialization at OU, and it inspires us to continue exploring ways we can transform innovation into real-world solutions.”
“OU is committed to being a significant contributor to our state’s economic development,” said John Hanak, chief innovation and corporate officer and executive director of the Office of Innovation and Corporate Partnerships at OU. “By growing the number of OU technology-based start-up companies and attracting investors and venture capital to the region, we are accelerating the commercialization of OU IP. We want to grow this through both start-up companies and traditional industrial licensing.”
Since 2013, NAI has published the Top 100 Worldwide Universities list. The Top 100 U.S. Universities list is the newest ranking published by NAI. The Top 100 U.S. Universities list is meant to provide a more focused view of the national innovation landscape and the contributions made by U.S. academic institutions. NAI plans to track other more focused areas of the innovation landscape as well.
“As a U.S.-based national Academy, it is important to us not only to showcase innovation happening on the broader world stage, but here at home as well. Invention has been part of the American experience since the country’s inception, with intellectual property being protected in the Constitution,” said Executive Director of NAI Jamie Renee. “Innovation has always been at the heart of U.S. culture, and the Top 100 U.S. Universities list allows us to recognize and celebrate the commitment these universities have to the American tradition of invention and protection of IP.”
NAI’s Top 100 lists are created using calendar year data provided by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Top 100 placement includes all named assignees listed on the patent. View the full Top 100 U.S. Universities list. For more information about IP and technology commercialization at OU, visit ou.edu/oicp.
