NAI names UK a Top 100 US University for Patents
LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 20, 2026) — The University of Kentucky has been named among the Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted Utility Patents, according to a 2026 report from the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).
The annual report, which utilizes data from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), tracks the vital role of university research and innovation within the national landscape. For the 2025 calendar year ranking, UK placed No. 73, with 23 U.S. utility patents granted in 2025. UK filed 154 international and domestic patent applications and held 857 patent assets in fiscal year 2025. The full report can be found here.
While the NAI has published a worldwide ranking since 2013, the Top 100 U.S. Universities list was introduced in 2023 to provide a more focused view of the national innovation landscape and the contributions made by U.S. academic institutions. Utility patents are a key metric for institutional innovation as they protect the way an invention is used and works.
Matthew Upton, director of Technology Commercialization at UK Innovate, said, “The University of Kentucky’s consistent presence on this list shows the breadth and depth of our research enterprise — from energy and materials science to life-saving health care innovations. At UK Innovate’s Technology Commercialization office, we are proud to support these pioneers by securing the intellectual property necessary to move their ideas into the world faster, where they can make the greatest possible impact.”
To search available UK technologies, visit the Technology Commercialization site.
“These universities and their inventive faculty are at the forefront of driving national innovation and competitiveness,” said Paul R. Sanberg, president of the NAI. “By moving their ideas to market and protecting their IP with patents, these institutions are ensuring that the U.S. not only remains competitive on the global stage, but directly shapes the future of innovation.”
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and healthcare. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $1.02 billion research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.