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Columbia Business Monthly

USC Among World's Top Patent-Producing Universities

Jun 14, 2018 03:13PM ● By Kathleen Maris

The University of South Carolina has again been listed as one the top patent-producing universities in the world, a distinction it has held for six years in a row.

The newly released listing is part of an annual publication compiled the National Academy of Inventors and Intellectual Property Owners Association and is based on data obtained from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. USC is the the only school in the state to ever earn a place on the list.

The Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents has been published since 2013 to highlight the vital role patents play in university research and innovation. USC was the lead on 37 issued U.S. patents last year alone and was named on 42 total U.S. patents.

“The University of South Carolina is home to some of brightest and most prolific inventors in the world. Whether they are faculty or our students, researchers at USC are finding new ways to improve the quality of life in South Carolina and beyond,” said Bill Kirkland, director of USC’s Office of Economic Engagement.

USC’s Technology Commercialization Office, part of the Office of Economic Engagement, manages the university’s growing patent portfolio and offers the innovative patented technologies for licensing. The Office of Economic Engagement works to connect industry partners with USC’s world-class research capabilities. 

The full patent report is available on the National Academy of Inventors website.