Austin has earned its reputation as a city of creativity, innovation and invention. Patents are one of the best measurements of innovation and Austin has always been extremely competitive in the number of patents issued yearly. The University of Texas is third in the nation in the number of patents earned.

Austin was named the No. 3 "Most Inventive City" due to patent activity by the Wall Street Journal in 2006 and was No. 2 on Forbes' 2010 list of "America’s Most Innovative Cities" (based on per capita patent activity and VC investment).

According to a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office geographic analysis patent activity from 2000 to 2015, Austin outpaces much larger metropolitan areas. Not only does Austin rank in the top 10 U.S. metros for patent activity on a per capita basis, it also ranks 12th for the total patents awarded over this period.

Source: U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

Source: U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

Note: Additional patent data is available via the Chamber's Economic Indicators page.