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Florida High Tech Corridor Rivals Notable Research Hubs in Patents

July 28, 2015

New logoHeathrow, Fla. (July 7, 2015) – The three Florida High Tech Corridor research universities – the University of Central Florida (UCF), the University of South Florida (USF) and the University of Florida (UF) – individually ranked in the top 30 of worldwide universities granted U.S. patents in 2014 according to a list recently released by the National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association.  Collectively, the three Corridor universities beat out the patent portfolios of university groups in the other established and well-recognized high tech hubs of North Carolina’s Research Triangle and Austin’s Silicon Hills region.

Together, The Corridor universities were granted 257 patents compared to 109 granted to the Triangle (Duke University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) and the 230 patents granted to Texas universities (the entire University of Texas system, Rice University and Texas A&M University).  USF is ranked 13, UF is ranked 20 and UCF is ranked 30 out of the worldwide universities.  The list recognizes the important role patents play in university research and highlights The Corridor region’s growth as a high tech hub through continued innovation and technology transfer from universities to the marketplace.

“As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Corridor, I am proud that our region continues to climb the ranks to stand alongside the universities of the Research Triangle and Texas which have a long-standing tradition of high tech research and innovation,” said Randy Berridge, Florida High Tech Corridor Council president.  “The countless scientists, researchers, innovators and inventors at UCF, USF, UF, and throughout our region, enrich our innovation ecosystem and work tirelessly to make tomorrow better than it is today.”

The list is based on data obtained from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.  For the full list, visit http://www.academyofinventors.com/pdf/NAI-IPO-Top-100-Universities-2014.pdf.

Note: North Carolina State University was not granted enough patents to appear on the top 100 universities list.  According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, North Carolina State University received 14 utility patents as the first assignee in calendar year 2014.

About The Florida High Tech Corridor Council

The Florida High Tech Corridor Council is an economic development initiative of the University of Central Florida (UCF), the University of South Florida (USF) and the University of Florida (UF).  The mission of The Corridor is to grow high tech industry and innovation through partnerships that support research, marketing, workforce and entrepreneurship.

A partnership involving more than 25 local and regional economic development organizations (EDOs), 14 state/community colleges and 12 CareerSource boards, the Council is co-chaired by the presidents of UCF, USF and UF.  The Council includes the presidents of two of the community colleges, the president of the Florida Institute of Technology and representatives of high tech industry.

The unique partnership has resulted in a strategic approach to high tech economic development that supports matching funds research, marketing, workforce development and entrepreneurship leveraging governmental, EDO and corporate budgets on a regional rather than local basis.

For more information, visit www.floridahightech.com.

Article originally published by i4 Business