April 2026: 0.86% (D+ grade)
New Hampshire inventionINDEX April 2026: 0.86% (D+ 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).
New Hampshire inventionINDEX Scores – Last 12 months
| Month | inventionINDEX Score |
| April 2026 | 0.86% |
| Mar 26 | 1.42% |
| Feb 26 | 2.06% |
| Jan 26 | 0.68% |
| Dec 25 | 1.68% |
| Nov 25 | 1.30% |
| Oct 25 | 1.27% |
| Sep 25 | 1.24% |
| Aug 25 | 1.06% |
| Jul 25 | 2.09% |
| Jun 25 | 1.30% |
| May 25 | 1.27% |
| Apr 25 | 2.09% |
The April 2026 inventionINDEX score for New Hampshire currently stands at 0.86 percent with a D+ rating, reflecting a noticeable decline from the robust activity observed just months prior. This score is a sharp contrast to the 2.06 percent A+ rating recorded in February 2026, which represented a brief return to the high-performance levels seen throughout 2022 and 2023. While the current score is slightly better than the five-year low of 0.68 percent seen in January 2026, it indicates that the state is struggling to maintain the innovative momentum that characterized much of the previous sixty-month period.
Looking back across the historical data, the New Hampshire index has shown a strong historical capacity for innovation, often maintaining scores in the A and B ranges. Between 2021 and 2023, the index frequently achieved ratings of A- or higher, peaking at a substantial 2.54 percent in August 2023. However, the data from late 2025 through early 2026 suggests a period of heightened volatility. The frequent drops into the C and D categories over the last eight months represent a significant departure from the steady growth patterns observed in earlier years, signaling a potential cooling of the local inventive landscape.
Achieving a higher grade on the inventionINDEX serves as a powerful indicator of a thriving local economy driven by intellectual property and creative output. High scores, such as the A+ ratings frequently achieved in the past, generally correlate with increased patent filings, enhanced research and development funding, and a more attractive environment for venture capital. These peaks suggest that the region is successfully translating academic and private research into commercial opportunities, which ultimately fosters high-paying job creation and strengthens the state’s competitive edge in the global market.
Conversely, the recent shift toward lower scores and D-level ratings presents several risks for the region’s long-term health. A low inventionINDEX score often suggests a stagnation in new ideas or a lack of the resources necessary to bring innovations to fruition. If these downward trends persist, the state may face a reduction in technological investments and a potential loss of talent to more innovative hubs. Such ratings serve as a warning that current policies or market conditions may be inhibiting the growth of new industries, requiring a strategic reassessment of how to better support the state’s innovators and entrepreneurs.
Discussion:
In April, the New Hampshire inventionINDEX scored a negative sentiment which was lower than the previous year’s average and underperformed the upward trend for the year. This is in contrast to the prior 12 months, which experienced a slight 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 New Hampshire office provides R&D tax credit consulting and advisory services to Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Derry, and Dover.
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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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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