Kansas inventionINDEX July 2026: 1.92% (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).

Historical Kansas inventionINDEX Scores

The Kansas inventionINDEX score for the past 12 months is shown in the table below.

The Kansas inventionINDEX score for July 2026 stands at 1.92% with a B+ rating, representing a strong performance when evaluated against the broader 60-month historical dataset. While this figure marks a slight step back from the record peak of 2.58% (A+) recorded in June 2026, it remains well above the 5-year historical average of 1.67% and median of 1.66%. Over the past 60 months, scores have spanned from a historical low of 1.05% (C) in December 2021 to June 2026’s historic high. The July 2026 result continues an impressive mid-2026 expansion, outperforming typical multi-year baselines and maintaining momentum significantly above prior mid-tier periods such as early 2025 and late 2024.

Achieving a higher grade in the inventionINDEX yields substantial economic and structural advantages for the state. High scores, exemplified by the A+ achieved in June 2026 and the B+ in July 2026, signal robust intellectual property generation, healthy commercial research and development activity, and strong entrepreneurial initiative. A higher rating enhances regional economic vitality by attracting venture capital investment, strengthening technological infrastructure, and encouraging higher rates of patent filings. Additionally, top-tier scores foster greater stakeholder confidence, laying a durable foundation for business expansion, academic collaboration, and high-skilled job growth.

Conversely, a lower score introduces notable negative implications for the regional innovation landscape. Drops toward lower historical marks, such as the 1.05% in December 2021 or 1.08% in March 2023 (both rated C), point to sluggish commercial development, constrained capital allocation, or systemic research bottlenecks. Sustained low scores risk eroding competitive advantage, accelerating the loss of specialized technical talent to competing markets, and dampening investor interest. Lower grades also indicate potential underlying friction within the pipeline that converts local research and development into viable market-ready products.

In summary, comparing the July 2026 rating of 1.92% with the historical table confirms that Kansas is currently experiencing a favorable period of elevated performance relative to its multi-year baseline. Maintaining scores consistently within the upper B+ to A tier positions the state to maximize commercial growth while building resilience against broader economic downturns. Analyzing these historical fluctuations provides critical perspective, allowing decision-makers to fortify innovation infrastructure during low periods and capitalize strategically on high-performing cycles.

Discussion:

In July, the Kansas inventionINDEX scored a positive sentiment which was higher than the previous year’s average and outperformed the upward trend for the year. This is similar to the prior 12 months, which experienced a slight 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 Kansas office provides R&D tax credit consulting and advisory services to Wichita, Overland Park, Kansas City, Olathe, Topeka, Lawrence, Shawnee, Manhattan, Lenexa and Salina

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.