This analysis has been done by considering the Filing Year of the Total US patents filed by the Inventors of North Carolina, ranging from year 2017 to 2024. We have taken into account the addresses of Inventors from North Carolina obtained from the patents application data sourced from USPTO database.
In the last 7 years (2017 – 2024), a total number of 45360 encompassing all the Utility, Plant and Design patents (Excluding PCT) were filed by the North Carolina inventors at the USPTO, highlighting the state’s growing innovation trend. Also 12185 PCT’s were filed during this time period.
Here’s some trivia for you:
When discussing North Carolina’s inventions, it’s essential to mention the Wright Brothers. They are celebrated as the first aviators who invented a successful powered airplane.
California, Massachusetts, Washington, Colorado and Texas are the other innovation hot spots that are spread across the country.
Do read about some interesting highlights on Illinois Patent Statistics & Florida Patent Statistics.
If we talk about the key North Carolina Patent Inventors, Martin G Keen, Russell Speight Vanblon and Jerome Henry hold the top 3 spots.
Continue reading the article to learn more about which businesses are engaged in the North Carolina, how many patents the North Carolina Inventors have filed over time, who are the top patent inventors, which companies have they been associated with, the North Carolina institutions that have filed the most patents, and more.
Type of Patent Applications
The utility & PCT filings represent approximately 75% & 21% respectively of the total patent filings while design patents account for 3% of the total patent filings.
How many patents did the Inventors of North Carolina file every year?
Are you wondering why there is a drop in patent filing for the last two years? It is because a patent application can take up to 18 months to get published. Certainly, it doesn’t suggest a decrease in the patent filing.
Who are the key Inventors from the North Carolina?
Martin Keen isn’t just a Master Inventor at IBM; he’s a powerhouse of innovation with over 400 patents to his name (filed in between 2017-2024). His knack for AI and data science has captivated over 4 million viewers on the IBM Technology YouTube channel. At IBM, he leads a dynamic training team and produces top-notch educational video courses. But that’s not all—Martin is also an avid homebrewer, sharing his passion weekly on The Brülosophy Show. Recently, he snagged the NEXT TECH 2023 award for Tech + Innovation, and earned a spot as an Inspire Top 100 winner by the United Inventors Association.
Russ VanBlon is a tech genius and Master Inventor at Lenovo, renowned for his contributions to software development and patents. But his talents don’t stop there. As a savvy Real Estate Advisor, Russ expertly blends stock market insights and stock options to craft winning investment strategies.
With over 20 years of experience, Jerome Henry is a leading expert in the wireless industry. He holds more than 30 certifications, including CWNE, CCIE, and CCSI. His passions span Wi-Fi design, 802.11 standards, location services, machine learning, and IoT, showcasing his deep commitment to advancing wireless tech.
Click here to check our year-wise ranking for Inventors from North Carolina.
List of Top 50 Inventors from North Carolina
| Inventor | Gender | Patents |
| Martin G Keen | Male | 415 |
| Russell Speight Vanblon | Male | 398 |
| Jerome Henry | Male | 366 |
| John M Ganci | Male | 307 |
| Carlos M Pignataro | Male | 251 |
| Shikhar Kwatra | Male | 248 |
| Nathan J Peterson | Male | 241 |
| John Carl Mese | Male | 204 |
| Nagendra Kumar Nainar | Male | 202 |
| Mark Patrick Delaney | Male | 174 |
| Christopher Andrew Bower | Male | 169 |
| Matthew Alexander Meitl | Male | 149 |
| Scott Wentao Li | Male | 144 |
| Aaron K Baughman | Male | 141 |
| Arnold S Weksler | Male | 139 |
| Trudy Leigh Hewitt | Female | 136 |
| Phillip H Griffin | Male | 136 |
| Stephen Benson Sears | Male | 130 |
| Corville Orain Allen | Female | 127 |
| Robert James Kapinos | Male | 124 |
| George Anthony Albero | Male | 121 |
| Darrell R Childers | Male | 120 |
| Gonzalo A Salgueiro | Male | 111 |
| Al Chakra | Male | 111 |
| Robert M Walker | Male | 110 |
| Jeremy Adam Greenberger | Male | 110 |
| Jeffrey A Grant | Male | 110 |
| Robert James Norton | Male | 108 |
| John Weldon Nicholson | Male | 108 |
| Joseph W Forbes | Male | 105 |
| Ruthie D Lyle | Female | 104 |
| Jana H Jenkins | Female | 104 |
| John Walter Diachina | Male | 98 |
| Ronald A Vaccaro | Male | 92 |
| Lee Priest | Male | 88 |
| Jeffrey B Shealy | Male | 88 |
| Andrew R Freed | Male | 88 |
| Rajesh Sur | Male | 86 |
| James Jefferson Smith | Male | 86 |
| Derek Jantz | Male | 85 |
| Jason Higley | Male | 84 |
| Anthony Louis Marfione | Male | 82 |
| Andries Don Sebastian | Male | 82 |
| Steven Francis Leboeuf | Male | 81 |
| Charles Jacob Novak | Male | 81 |
| Andrew J Garner | Male | 81 |
| Hernan A Cunico | Male | 78 |
| Robert Paul Morris | Male | 77 |
| Christopher J Fawcett | Male | 77 |
| Gary David Cudak | Male | 76 |
Companies associated with the North Carolina Inventors
Top 50 Companies filing patents with North Carolina Inventors
| Company | Patents |
| IBM | 3557 |
| Bank Of America | 1611 |
| Cisco | 1189 |
| Lenovo | 1134 |
| Wells Fargo | 782 |
| Corning | 594 |
| Wolfspeed | 488 |
| Commscope | 440 |
| Rai Strategic Holdings | 400 |
| SAS Institute Inc | 349 |
| BASF | 340 |
| Honeywell | 304 |
| BE Aerospace | 251 |
| ABB | 229 |
| Syngenta | 216 |
| Truist Bank | 210 |
| Invue | 203 |
| Techtronic Industries | 202 |
| Eaton | 201 |
| Qualcomm | 198 |
| RJ Reynolds Tobacco | 192 |
| General Electric | 190 |
| Qorvo | 186 |
| Novozymes | 180 |
| Nvidia | 173 |
| Microsoft | 170 |
| TE Connectivity | 167 |
| Monsanto Technology | 163 |
| EMC IP Holding | 161 |
| US Conec | 158 |
| Red Hat | 157 |
| Netapp | 156 |
| Rambus | 155 |
| Hill Rom | 149 |
| Tivo | 147 |
| Volvo | 146 |
| Nicoventures | 146 |
| Electrolux | 134 |
| Becton Dickinson | 132 |
| Apex Brands | 130 |
| Micron Technology | 128 |
| Toshiba | 124 |
| Ideal Industries | 118 |
| Borgwarner | 117 |
| Schaeffler Group | 116 |
| Align Technology | 116 |
| X Display Company | 115 |
| Microtech Knives | 113 |
| Kidde Technologies | 111 |
| Akoustis | 108 |
The patent filings spotlight a clear trend: the Technology sector is the powerhouse of innovation. Impressively, 5 of the top 10 companies driving this innovation have their headquarters in North Carolina.
Note: The companies featured in this list have affiliations with Inventors who are residents of North Carolina.
Inventor Patent Filing Ratios in the last 7 Years (2017 – 2024)
Note: The analysis of patenting by gender is based on the information available at USPTO. The gender of inventors is determined using the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) World Gender-Name Standards Dictionary (WGND) 2.0. Fractional counting of inventors is used, with the credit for each patent divided equally between the inventors.
Patent filing trend of Female Inventors of North Carolina in the last 7 years
Did you know that North Carolina ranks among the leading states in the US in female patent filings, reflecting a growing diversity in innovation!
Female inventors in North Carolina have made a significant and growing contribution to total patent filings over the years. From 2017 to 2021, their share of patent filings steadily increased, reaching a peak of 30.2% in 2021. This upward trend reflects the vital role women are playing in innovation across various fields. While recent data shows a slight decline in the percentage and total number of filings, it’s important to note that patent applications can take up to 18 months to get published. This delay in publication doesn’t suggest a decrease in patent filings but rather highlights the natural timeline of the patent process. The contributions of female inventors remain strong and continue to shape the innovation landscape in North Carolina.
Patent Filing Patterns for Women Inventors in North Carolina
Key Female Inventors from North Carolina State of US
| Inventors | Patents | Current Company Association |
| Trudy L Hewitt | 136 | IBM |
| Corville O Allen | 127 | |
| Ruthie D Lyle | 104 | Nvidia |
| Jana H Jenkins | 104 | IBM |
| Dana L Price | 70 | IBM |
| Laura Thiel | 57 | Medipak Energy Systems |
| Dawn E Fraser | 53 | BASF |
| Jinna Z Kim | 48 | Bank Of America |
| Kristin E McNeil | 45 | IBM |
| Jill M Sturdivant | 43 | Alcon |
| Amy Leigh Rose | 42 | Truist Bank |
| Rebecca E Thayer | 38 | North Carolina State Laboratory Of Public Health |
| Myla Lai Goldman | 38 | GeneCentric Therapeutics |
| Hua Xin Liao | 38 | Duke University |
| Bina K Thakkar | 38 | Meta |
| Xiaomin Zhang | 37 | Celgard Llc |
| Tara Youngblood | 37 | Catapult BPM |
| Jessica Parks | 36 | ProFound Therapeutics |
| Jenny S Li | 35 | Konica Minolta |
| Aysu Ezen Can | 35 | Capital One Services |
| Hawazin Faruki | 34 | Clinical Diagnostic Strategies |
| Irene Palmer | 33 | North Carolina State University |
| Becky Welsh Breitinger | 33 | Syngenta |
| Victoria L Dravneek | 32 | PNC Financial Services |
| Karen V Taluskie | 32 | Reynolds American Inc |
Universities filing patents with the Inventors from North Carolina
Duke University, the University of North Carolina, and North Carolina State University—are leading the charge in innovation, collectively filing 2,323 patents over the past seven years (2017-2024). Nestled in the heart of Research Triangle Park (RTP), one of the world’s largest research hubs, these institutions are surrounded by over 300 companies, including tech giants like IBM, Cisco, and SAS.
These universities are not just academic institutions; they are the engines driving North Carolina’s innovation landscape.
Duke University: Celebrated for its breakthroughs in medical research, engineering, and biotechnology, Duke has made significant strides in developing medical devices, cancer treatments, and pharmaceuticals as showcased by their numerous patents.
North Carolina State University (NC State): Known for its stellar engineering and technology programs, NC State’s Centennial Campus is a hotbed of innovation. The university excels in creating patents for advanced materials, renewable energy, and agricultural technology.
Note: These are the institutions wherein the key innovators from North Carolina filed the majority of their patents.
Companies/Universities filing PCT Applications with the North Carolina Inventors
| Top PCT Filers | Patents | Entity |
| Commscope | 855 | Company |
| Duke University | 606 | University |
| University Of North Carolina | 482 | University |
| North Carolina State University | 343 | University |
| IBM | 164 | Company |
| Corning | 290 | Company |
| BASF | 222 | Company |
| Wolfspeed | 217 | Company |
| Syngenta | 156 | Company |
| UOP Llc | 226 | Company |
| Cisco | 195 | Company |
| Rai Strategic Holdings | 178 | Company |
| Honeywell | 142 | Company |
| Wake Forest University | 105 | University |
| Research Triangle Institute | 63 | University |
| ABB | 126 | Company |
| Nicoventures | 135 | Company |
| Techtronic Industries | 101 | Company |
| Novozymes | 94 | Company |
| General Electric | 71 | Company |
| Becton Dickinson | 75 | Company |
| Siemens Energy | 93 | Company |
| Siemens | 85 | Company |
| RJ Reynolds Tobacco | 76 | Company |
| BWXT | 60 | Company |
| Bayer | 52 | Company |
| Husqvarna | 48 | Company |
| Borgwarner Inc | 51 | Company |
| Apex Brands | 59 | Company |
| Pairwise Plants Services | 68 | Company |
| Ericsson | 69 | Company |
| Celgard Llc | 48 | Company |
| US Conec | 32 | Company |
| Pneuma Respiratory | 28 | Company |
| Eaton | 54 | Company |
| Labcorp | 54 | Company |
| Precision Biosciences | 45 | Company |
| TE Connectivity | 50 | Company |
| Cook Group | 30 | Company |
| Qorvo | 55 | Company |
| Sealed Air | 40 | Company |
| Invue | 39 | Company |
| Lenovo | 49 | Company |
| Cryovac | 46 | Company |
| Lord Corporation | 34 | Company |
| Teleflex | 35 | Company |
| Volvo | 37 | Company |
| Know Bio Llc | 17 | Company |
| Asklepios Biopharmaceutical | 31 | Company |
| Agbiome Inc | 31 | Company |
| Micron Technology | 35 | Company |
North Carolina’s top PCT filers include a diverse mix of companies and universities across various sectors.
The state’s focus on technology, manufacturing, biotechnology, and energy makes it a hotbed of innovation and patent activity. At the heart of this thriving ecosystem is Research Triangle Park, a dynamic hub where academia and industry converge to drive groundbreaking research and development.