Nebraska inventionINDEX September 2026: 1.15% (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 Nebraska inventionINDEX Scores

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

The Nebraska inventionINDEX for September 2026 reached 1.15%, earning a B rating and marking a prominent rebound after two consecutive months of subdued performance at 0.94% (D+) in July and August 2026. This latest figure surpasses the 60-month historical average of 1.09%, signaling renewed vitality in regional innovation after a turbulent summer. Moving up from April’s low of 0.88% (D), the September score indicates that inventive activity, patent momentum, and research initiatives across the state are recovering lost ground. Relative to the immediate preceding quarters of 2026, which averaged 1.03%, this upward shift represents one of the strongest single-month gains observed in the current calendar year.

Placing September 2026 into broader historical context reveals a steady normalization toward upper-tier historical benchmarks. The score matches the 1.15% recorded in September 2022 and significantly outperforms the September readings from both 2025 and 2024, which stagnated at 1.04% (C+). While current performance remains below the peak level of 1.35% (A+) achieved in January 2023, it stands well clear of the record low of 0.82% (F) registered in February 2025. Over the entire 60-month observation window, scores between 1.10% and 1.25% have historically signaled sustainable growth phases rather than speculative spikes, confirming that the current B rating rests on a solid structural foundation.

Maintaining higher inventionINDEX scores yields substantial economic and strategic benefits for Nebraska’s innovation ecosystem. Stronger ratings, particularly those in the B to A range, enhance institutional credibility, attracting private equity, venture capital, and federal research grants to local startups and academic institutions. High scores reflect robust intellectual property generation, active technology transfer, and elevated entrepreneurship rates, which collectively accelerate commercialization pipelines. Additionally, a rising index fosters a thriving talent marketplace, encouraging specialized research talent and engineering professionals to remain within the state while drawing outside firms seeking vibrant regional partnerships.

Conversely, sustained periods of lower scores present notable economic risks and operational headwinds for the state. When the index drops into the D or F categories, as observed during early 2025 and mid-2026, it reflects reduced patent filings, lagging research output, and constrained capital deployment. Such contractions can lead to delayed commercialization, brain drain among top technical talent, and diminished regional competitiveness against neighboring innovation hubs. To prevent lingering sluggishness and protect economic momentum, policymakers and industry leaders must leverage elevated scoring periods like September 2026 to reinforce research infrastructure, expand access to early-stage funding, and sustain long-term inventive output.

Discussion:

In September, the Nebraska inventionINDEX scored a positive sentiment which was higher than the previous year’s average and outperformed the downward trend for the year. This is in contrast 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 Nebraska office provides R&D tax credit consulting and advisory services to Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, Grand Island and Kearney

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.