WEST VIRGINIA INVENTIONINDEX | OCTOBER 2025
October 2025: 1.03% (C grade)
West Virginia inventionINDEX October 2025: 1.03% (C grade)
The inventionINDEX measures innovation output by comparing GDP growth with patent production growth.
Anything over C grade is positive sentiment; anything under C is negative outlook/sentiment. Using that sentiment, it is possible to observe trends over time, and also compare states/countries. In doing so, we can predict which states have the best chance to recover economically from the pandemic (or any other economic incident that may occur).
West Virginia inventionINDEX Scores – Last 12 months
| Month | inventionINDEX Score |
| October 2025 | 1.03% |
| Sep 25 | 0.62% |
| Aug 25 | 0.83% |
| Jul 25 | 1.45% |
| Jun 25 | 0.83% |
| May 25 | 0.41% |
| Apr 25 | 1.03% |
| Mar 25 | 1.03% |
| Feb 25 | 1.24% |
| Jan 25 | 0.83% |
| Dec 24 | 1.03% |
| Nov 24 | 1.03% |
| Oct 24 | 2.28% |
In October 2025, the West Virginia inventionINDEX registered a score of 1.03%, earning a ‘C’ rating. This performance indicates a positive sentiment, aligning with the benchmark where any grade above ‘C’ is considered favorable. Observing the trends over the past 60 months, this score places October 2025 within a fluctuating but generally resilient pattern for the state’s innovation output. While not reaching the peak ‘A+’ ratings seen in various months, such as October 2024 (2.28%) or July 2022 (2.91%), it demonstrates a consistent ability to maintain or recover to a positive outlook.
A higher inventionINDEX score, particularly those achieving ‘A’ or ‘B’ ratings, signifies robust innovation output driven by a healthy comparison between GDP growth and patent production growth. Such elevated performance suggests a dynamic economic environment, fostering research and development, and potentially leading to increased economic recovery and stability. States consistently achieving higher grades are better positioned to navigate economic challenges and experience sustained growth, as innovation often fuels new industries, job creation, and overall prosperity.
Conversely, lower inventionINDEX scores, particularly those falling into the ‘D+’ or ‘F’ categories, indicate a negative outlook or sentiment. These periods, such as September 2025 (0.62%, ‘F’) or May 2025 (0.41%, ‘F’), suggest a deceleration in innovation relative to economic growth. Such declines can imply various underlying issues, including reduced investment in R\&D, economic stagnation, or challenges in translating innovative efforts into tangible economic benefits. A prolonged period of lower scores could signal potential vulnerabilities in a state’s economic resilience and its capacity for future growth.
Analyzing the historical data, West Virginia has experienced both periods of strong innovation and more subdued performance. The presence of ‘A+’ and ‘A-‘ ratings interspersed with ‘C’ and ‘D+’ grades highlights a dynamic landscape. The recent ‘C’ grade in October 2025, while positive, suggests an ongoing effort to maintain and build upon innovation momentum. Understanding these historical fluctuations is crucial for identifying long-term trends and implementing strategies that can consistently elevate the state’s innovation output and, consequently, its economic prospects.
Discussion:
In October, the West Virginia inventionINDEX scored a positive sentiment which was higher than the previous year’s average and outperformed the downward trend for the year. This is similar to the prior 12 months, which experienced a downward trend.
As the economy continues to stabilize in the post-pandemic era, it remains uncertain whether any backlog of applications still exists or if the department has returned to normal processing timelines. The inventionINDEX could also be affected by lingering consequences from the pandemic, such as company closures, reduced workforces, and limited R&D capabilities, which may still be impacting current operations.
Learn More:
Are you thinking of patenting any of your bright ideas? Did you know your research work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please check out our free online eligibility test.
Swanson Reed’s West Virginia office provides R&D tax credit consulting and advisory services to Charleston, Huntington, Morgantown, Parkersburg, and Wheeling.
Feel free to book a quick teleconference with one of R&D tax specialists if you would like to learn more about R&D tax credit opportunities.
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Swanson Reed is the largest Specialist R&D tax credit advisory firm in the United States. With offices nationwide, we are one of the only firms globally to exclusively provide R&D tax credit consulting services to our clients. We have been exclusively providing R&D tax credit claim preparation and audit compliance solutions for over 30 years.
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What is the R&D Tax Credit?
The Research & Experimentation Tax Credit (or R&D Tax Credit), is a general business tax credit under Internal Revenue Code section 41 for companies that incur research and development (R&D) costs in the United States. The credits are a tax incentive for performing qualified research in the United States, resulting in a credit to a tax return. For the first three years of R&D claims, 6% of the total qualified research expenses (QRE) form the gross credit. In the 4th year of claims and beyond, a base amount is calculated, and an adjusted expense line is multiplied times 14%. Click here to learn more.
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