Useful Stats: SSTI analysis reviews life science patent distribution throughout the U.S., 1998-2020

It appears that innovation is contagious. Maps reveal that once there is a concentration of patents granted to inventors in one U.S. county, innovation starts to percolate in neighboring counties. And the phenomenon isn’t found only in established life sciences hubs like San Diego or Boston. SSTI observed this spillover effect in Washtenaw County, Michigan and Hennepin County, Minnesota, among other places. These data suggest that when a strong base is located, likely due to new companies and startups establishing themselves, innovation lays down its roots and spreads to other counties.

SSTI used the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) utility patent data from 1998-2020 across industries to draw insights such as how innovation in the life sciences spreads locally. Our analysis and maps for 22 years of life science-related shows clustering in areas where one would expect it, but also in areas of the country where it might be less expected.

We started by identifying life science-related patents, and then explored both the quantity and percent share these patents for each U.S. county. Specifically, SSTI examined the patent data of medical technology, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and analysis of biological materials industries, providing unique insight into the long-term trends of any individual counties, as well as any established, emerging, or declining clusters or hubs of life science patents.

The data reveals noticeable concentrations of patents granted across well-established hubs. These hubs include areas along the California coast, especially around the Bay Area and Southern California. We found another significant cluster along parts of the east coast, from Boston to the District of Columbia (DC). In both regions, the quantity and percent share of inventors granted patents increased over time. Clusters can also be found in Illinois, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, and Utah.

How many patents are granted in each U.S. County from 1998 to 2000?

SSTI used the map below to draw some conclusions about how many patents were granted in each U.S. county from 1998 to 2000. SSTI created the map to illustrate the number of patents granted to U.S. inventors in a variety of life science fields. Readers can use the graphic to gain insight into the long-term trends of any U.S. county or to learn about any established, emerging, or declining clusters or hubs of life science patents. The map opens with the medical technology page. Use the arrows on the top right to move between different technology sectors. On each page of the graphic, readers can see the number of patents granted for the technology in each county. They can also move the slider on the timeline or press play/pause to view how the number of patents changes over time. For patents with multiple names associated with them, the credit was equally split between counties, hence, many counties have a fraction of a patent affiliated with them.

SSTI found that medical technology patents see a relatively large geographic spread across counties, as well the highest overall quantity (approximately 190,000), with 11 counties averaging over 100 patents granted in medical technology over the 23 years, led by Santa Clara County, California (average of 467.36 patents granted per year), Los Angeles County, California (326.31), and Orange County, California (325.95). An additional 23 counties averaged over 50 patents granted per year. Nearly 67% of counties had at least one patent granted over the studied period, making it the most geographically diverse of all selected life sciences (2,100 of 3,143 counties).

Pharmaceuticals had approximately 77,000 patents located in 47.31% of U.S. counties (1,487 of 3,143) and was led by Middlesex County, Massachusetts (average of 204.99 patents granted per year), followed by San Diego County, California (189.29), San Mateo County (120.88) and Santa Clara County (113.85). The four counties mentioned above were the only ones to average over 100 patents granted per year, while an additional nine counties averaged over 50.

With a total of approximately 60,000 patents granted between 1998 and 2020, biotechnology patent holders can be found in approximately 43.46% of all U.S. counties (1,366 of 3,143), led by San Diego County (average of 183.44 patents granted per year), Middlesex County, Massachusetts (151.77) and San Mateo County, California (116.98). One additional county, Santa Clara County, California, averaged over 100 patents granted per year (113.91), while five other counties averaged over 50.

Over the 23 years from 1998-2020, San Diego County, California, was home to the most U.S. inventors granted patents in analysis of biological materials (average of 45.35 patents granted per year), followed by Middlesex County, Massachusetts (38.63) and Santa Clara County, California (35.74). Approximately 18,000 patents — the least of any selected life science — were granted in analysis of biological materials over the studied period, with 14 counties having averaged over 10 patents granted per year and an additional 16 over five. Approximately 38% of all U.S. counties had at least one patent in analysis of biological materials granted over the 23 years period, making it the least geographically distributed of the selected life sciences (1,181 of 3,143 counties).

What percentage of total patents does each county have?

While the quantity of patents granted is undoubtedly a critical metric, exploring the percent share of nationwide patents can provide unique insight into any counties or clusters of counties that stand out as true hubs for the sector.

For patents granted in medical technology, Santa Clara County, California, held the largest average share at 5.59%, followed by Los Angeles County, California (4.03%) and Orange County, California (3.88%). Similar to those granted in analysis of biological materials, just 15 counties averaged above a 1% share of patents granted in medical technology.

The distribution of patents granted in pharmaceuticals is fairly similar to that of biotechnology, with 19 counties holding an average of over 1% of the national percentage and four additional counties holding over 0.9%. Middlesex County, Massachusetts, and San Diego County, California are home to the largest average share at 5.87% and 5.58% respectively. San Mateo County, California (3.62%) and Santa Clara County, California (3.43) follow.

Patents granted in biotechnology see the most significant percent share of any selected life science. San Diego County, California is home to an average of 7.08% of all biotechnology patents granted each year between 1998 and 2020. Middlesex County, Massachusetts (5.70%), San Mateo County, California (4.62%), and Santa Clara County, California (4.43%) also have large shares of the nationwide patents granted. Despite this, 19 counties hold over 1% of the national share, with an additional five close behind at over 0.9%.

San Diego County, California, was home to the largest share of patents granted in analysis of biological material each year, averaging approximately 5.82% of the nationwide patents granted year-over-year and as high as 7.46% (2003). Middlesex County, Massachusetts (4.73%) and Santa Clara County, California (4.59%) followed closely behind. Just 16 counties averaged above a 1% share of nationwide patents granted.

Patents help to foster innovation in the life sciences by providing a regulated avenue for companies to collaborate and share their ideas with others, as when an innovation is patented, its inventor must disclose its details to the public. This process allows other inventors and companies to build upon the invention to develop new products and services, an essential aspect to further the growth of the life sciences.

The graphic below, like the first, contains four unique maps of the different selected life sciences, visualizing any given county’s percent share of the national total for each year.

Click here for the data used in this edition of Useful Stats.