Tampa Bay inventors are getting more patents
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Tampa Bay has gained more inventors in the last decade.
Why it matters: While Silicon Valley still holds the title for most patents awarded overall, the rate of change over time offers a compelling look at newly ascending — or lagging — areas.
- Utility patents may be granted for inventing or discovering a new and useful process, machine or composition of matter, among other things.
Zoom in: 20 utility patents per 100,000 residents were granted in the Tampa-St. Petersburg- Clearwater metro area in 2022 — up 6.8% from 2012, according to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office data.
- Most of the new patents were categorized as medical technology or digital communication.
Yes, but: The North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton area went down 21%, going from about 23 to 18 patents per 100,000 residents in that time.
Zoom out: Northwest Arkansas, Louisville and New Orleans are emerging as America's new innovation hotspots, as measured by the change in utility patents granted over time per 100,000 residents.
What's next: Expect other potentially surprising innovation hubs to emerge over the next few years, as money from laws like the CHIPS Act and private investment funds high-tech projects nationwide.