The University of Iowa is ranked for the first time on a list of the top 100 producers of utility patents among higher education institutions worldwide.

The rankings, published by the National Academy of Inventors, ranks UI at 79, with 31 patents granted in 2018. The university is tied with the University of Nebraska and National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. The information for the rankings was based on data provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.  

The National Academy of Inventors is a member organization comprising U.S. and international universities, governmental and non-profit research institutes, and federal agencies with more than 4,000 individual inventor members and fellows spanning more than 250 institutions. It was founded to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students, and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society.