The University of Arizona ranked No. 22 among the top U.S. universities granted utility patents in 2022, according to a list published by the National Academy of Inventors. 

This new list – called the Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents – highlights and celebrates American innovation and showcases the universities that play a large role in advancing the innovation ecosystem within the U.S. and beyond.

In 2022, UArizona was issued 92 U.S. patents, representing inventions ranging from new methods for imaging cancer cells to wearable 3D augmented reality displays to antioxidant sunscreens.

"I am so proud as we see more and more of our outstanding University of Arizona community members stepping up and tackling real-world problems," said University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins. "Humanity's future depends on our ability to innovate, and patents are a demonstration that the research taking place here is producing impactful results that will be applied to solve some of the greatest challenges we face as a global society."

While each patent starts with a great idea for an invention, the process of applying for and earning an issued patent takes a multitalented team that includes inventors, patent lawyers who understand both the technology and patent law, and a team of experts at Tech Launch Arizona, the office of the university whose mission is to move inventions out into the marketplace where they can impact lives and jobs and make a better world.

"The University of Arizona has had great rankings on the NAI Worldwide Universities list in recent years," said Doug Hockstad, associate vice president for Tech Launch Arizona. "We're proud to have placed at such an auspicious position among this tighter circle of U.S. universities. It's a demonstration that the University of Arizona is successfully prioritizing impactful innovation in the context of our mission of service to the public."

In April 2023, when the list of 100 Worldwide Universities Granted Utility Patents in 2022 was released, UArizona ranked No. 29. While similar, the new ranking focuses solely on U.S. universities. 

Since 2013, the National Academy of Inventors has published its Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents list. This new top 100 list of U.S. universities offers a more focused view of the national innovation landscape and the contributions made by U.S. academic institutions.

Since its founding in 2012, TLA has taken in over 2,700 invention disclosures – reports of new innovations developed at the university. Between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, TLA took in 298 invention disclosures, marking the university's second most inventive year on record. It also had more than 600 patents issued that bear the names of UArizona inventors and executed upward of 500 licenses for university inventions.

The office has facilitated the launch of more than 135 startups and, according to a 2022 study, supported thousands of jobs and generated an economic output of $1.6 billion over five years. The same report projected that this output would grow to $4.7 billion in the next 10 years.