GEORGIA INVENTIONINDEX | NOVEMBER 2025

November 2025: 1.57% (B- grade)

Georgia inventionINDEX November 2025: 1.57% (B- 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).

Georgia inventionINDEX Scores – Last 12 months

The historical Georgia inventionINDEX Score over the last sixty months presents a complex picture of inventive output and commercialization, with a noticeable moderation in recent performance compared to the historical average. The mean score for the full sixty-month period stands at approximately 1.970%. However, the most recent twelve-month cycle, culminating in November 2025’s 1.57% score, reflects a mean of only 1.686%, indicating a current operating environment that is less robust than the long-term historical trend. This suggests a period of consolidation or deceleration, where the majority of scores have clustered in the ‘B-‘ to ‘C+’ range, signaling a plateauing of momentum below the peak inventive capacity seen in prior years.

The positive outcomes associated with a higher inventionINDEX Score, exemplified by the historical peak of 3.16% in March 2021, which achieved an ‘A+’ rating, are substantial. A consistently high score indicates a particularly fertile innovation ecosystem, where new intellectual property is being rapidly created, successfully protected, and effectively commercialized. This environment not only attracts significant venture capital and research funding but also serves as a powerful magnet for top-tier entrepreneurial and technical talent. High grades such as ‘A’ or ‘A+’ translate directly into accelerated economic growth, improved global competitiveness, and a demonstrable return on investment for research and development expenditures across the region.

Conversely, a lower score, such as the minimum of 1.23% recorded in November 2024 with a ‘C’ rating, carries negative implications that warrant strategic attention. A persistent decline or clustering in the ‘C’ band suggests challenges in the innovation pipeline, potentially including a slowdown in the generation of truly novel ideas, difficulties in navigating the patent process, or obstacles in translating academic research into marketable products. These lower ratings can signal a potential loss of competitive edge, cause investor sentiment to wane, and may lead to the gradual migration of high-value inventive talent to regions demonstrating stronger, more consistent scores.

In conclusion, the current performance, which has fluctuated between the twelve-month high of 2.35% (‘B+’) and low of 1.40% (‘C+’), positions the Georgia inventionINDEX in a critical transitional phase. While the occasional ‘B+’ scores provide evidence that the foundational capacity for high-level innovation remains, the recent prevalence of ‘C+’ ratings suggests that these positive spikes are not yet forming a consistent trend. Moving forward, strategic efforts must focus on reinforcing the conditions that drive the higher ‘A’ and ‘B’ band scores to ensure that the inventionINDEX avoids a sustained regression toward the lower end of the historical spectrum, thereby securing the long-term vitality of the region’s inventive economy.

Discussion:

In November, the Georgia inventionINDEX scored a positive sentiment which was lower than the previous year’s average and underperformed the upward trend for the year. This is similar to the prior 12 months, which experienced an upward 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 Georgia office provides R&D tax credit consulting and advisory services to Atlanta, Columbus, Savannah, Athens, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Macon, Johns Creek, Albany, Warner Robins, Augusta, Valdosta, Smyrna, Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Peachtree Corners, Marietta, Alpharetta, Milledgeville and Rome.

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.

Who We Are:

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. 

Swanson Reed hosts daily free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPAs.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/free-webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.