Mississippi inventionINDEX September 2026: 1.18% (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 Mississippi inventionINDEX Scores

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

The September 2026 Mississippi inventionINDEX score of 1.18% with a B rating reflects a solid recovery following a modest mid-summer plateau of 1.02% in July and August. This latest performance sits well above the 60-month historical average of roughly 0.98%, signaling a strong regional innovation trajectory as the third quarter concludes. While the score remains below the notable peak of 1.52% recorded in June 2026, it represents a substantial rebound from the sluggish start of the year, when scores hovered between 0.77% and 0.93% throughout the first quarter of 2026. Comparing the current metric against historical benchmarks demonstrates that Mississippi’s creative ecosystem is currently operating in its upper tier of performance.

A broader examination of the five-year dataset highlights significant cyclical variability across the state’s inventive output. The index reached its historical peak of 1.60% in May 2022 and October 2023, with secondary high-water marks in November 2024 at 1.44% and June 2026 at 1.52%. Conversely, the dataset reveals challenging periods of contraction, most notably during the summer of 2025 when ratings plunged to F levels, hitting a low of 0.52% in June 2025. Another notable slump occurred in late 2021 with an all-time low of 0.52% in October 2021. The current standing of 1.18% demonstrates resilience, maintaining distance from these historical troughs while consolidating gains near the B and A grade thresholds.

Securing higher scores and top-tier grades like A or B carries substantial positive implications for Mississippi’s economic and technological ecosystem. Elevated metrics signal strong patenting velocity, robust commercialization activity, and heightened research productivity across academic and industrial sectors. Higher ratings foster business confidence, attracting venture capital investments, expanding regional job opportunities in high-tech industries, and encouraging corporate partnerships. Furthermore, consistent top-tier scores validate regional economic development initiatives, creating a self-reinforcing cycle that draws skilled workforce talent and encourages continuous infrastructure investment.

Conversely, persistent lower scores and depressed ratings such as D or F carry concerning implications for long-term competitiveness. Sub-1.00% figures reflect reduced intellectual property development, slower technology transfer, and potential bottlenecks in research funding or institutional support. Prolonged multi-month downturns risk talent migration toward more dynamic innovation hubs, diminishing local economic resilience and weakening private sector engagement. Addressing the root causes of lower scores is essential for policy planners seeking to shield the regional economy from broader stagnation and maintain sustainable growth in high-value industries.

Discussion:

In September, the Mississippi inventionINDEX scored a positive sentiment which was higher than the previous year’s average and outperformed the upward trend for the year. This is in contrast 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 Mississippi office provides R&D tax credit consulting and advisory services to Jackson, Gulfport, Southaven, Hattiesburg, Biloxi, Meridian, Tupelo, Greenville, Olive Branch and Horn Lake

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.