Universities have long been credited for research that advances science and propels technological progress. But their role in the innovation economy goes far beyond knowledge discovery. What’s often overlooked is how powerfully they shape the pipeline of inventors — training the individuals who translate research into patents, products, and companies.
A new study from MIT Sloan makes that role clear: Some U.S. universities are among the country’s most prolific sources of new inventors, producing a significant share of first-time patent holders. An analysis by MIT Sloan’s Fiona Murray and Copenhagen Business School’s Mercedes Delgado shows that in regions with low levels of innovation activity, universities account for an average of more than 10% of all local patents and 14% of new inventors.
The findings also suggest that this engine of invention fuels broad-based economic growth — and universities play an outsized role in increasing contributions to the innovation economy from often underrepresented groups, particularly women.
U.S. universities “are really important in attracting inventors into their regions, training them at the forefront of science, and then contributing to the economy,” said Murray, associate dean for innovation.
Full story: U.S. universities are filling a regional innovation gap | MIT Sloan
