Garnett S. Stokes, President - The University of New Mexico Board of Regents | University of New Mexico
Garnett S. Stokes, President - The University of New Mexico Board of Regents | University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico (UNM) has been ranked 93rd on the Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted Utility Patents in 2024, as published by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). This annual list highlights universities holding U.S. utility patents to emphasize significant research and innovation within academic institutions.
Since its inception in 2013, the NAI's Top 100 Worldwide Universities List has served to underscore the role of U.S. patents in advancing technologies from research settings to commercial markets globally. Paul R. Sanberg, FNAI, president of the National Academy of Inventors, stated, “The Top 100 Worldwide list showcases the vital role U.S. patents play in moving technologies from bench to marketplace at academic institutions around the globe.”
The NAI is a member organization with over 4,600 individual inventor members and Fellows across more than 260 institutions worldwide. It was founded in 2010 to support inventors with patents issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and promote academic technology visibility.
The ranking illustrates how patents are crucial for translating university research into practical applications and emphasizes academic institutions' roles in the broader innovation ecosystem. Collectively, universities on this year's list hold over 9,600 patents, with NAI Member Institutions accounting for 58% of these and holding over 5,600 patents.
This data originates from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and considers only utility patents granted during the calendar year of 2024. The rankings do not necessarily reflect a university's technological value or research effectiveness but rather its patent holdings.
Alongside this global ranking, NAI will release additional lists this spring: the Top 100 U.S. Universities and Top 60 Non-Profit Research Institutions and Government Agencies rankings, leading up to their Annual Conference in Atlanta.
UNM Rainforest Innovations (UNMRI), UNM's technology-transfer organization, plays a key role in protecting and commercializing technologies developed at UNM by managing patents and copyrights while facilitating connections between businesses and UNM technologies for licensing opportunities.
For further details about UNM Rainforest Innovations, visit their website.
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