April 2026: 0.93% (C- grade)
Oregon inventionINDEX April 2026: 0.93% (C- 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).
Oregon inventionINDEX Scores – Last 12 months
| Month | inventionINDEX Score |
| April 2026 | 0.93% |
| Mar 26 | 2.73% |
| Feb 26 | 1.69% |
| Jan 26 | 1.17% |
| Dec 25 | 1.33% |
| Nov 25 | 1.39% |
| Oct 25 | 1.83% |
| Sep 25 | 2.45% |
| Aug 25 | 2.13% |
| Jul 25 | 2.04% |
| Jun 25 | 1.60% |
| May 25 | 1.63% |
| Apr 25 | 2.65% |
The Oregon inventionINDEX for April 2026 has settled at 0.93 percent, resulting in a C minus rating. This figure marks a significant departure from the robust 2.73 percent A plus rating observed in March 2026, indicating a sharp contraction in the state’s innovation momentum as the second quarter begins. When evaluated against the preceding sixty months, this score represents one of the weaker performances in the positive range, falling below the 1.17 percent recorded at the start of the year and ending a brief period of recovery that had characterized the late winter months.
Looking at the broader five-year trajectory, Oregon has demonstrated a high degree of volatility, ranging from a historic peak of 7.06 percent in October 2023 to a notable low of -0.55 percent in January 2023. The current 0.93 percent score suggests that the state is currently struggling to maintain the consistency seen throughout much of 2024 and 2025, where scores frequently hovered in the high 1.00s and 2.00s. while this April figure remains above the negative territory experienced three years ago, the steep drop from March highlights a sensitive ecosystem that is prone to rapid shifts in patent activity and research output.
Achieving a higher grade, particularly reaching the A plus status seen just last month, brings significant advantages to the Oregon economic landscape. High scores serve as a vital signal to the global venture capital community that the state possesses a fertile environment for technological breakthroughs and industrial evolution. These periods of peak performance typically correlate with increased patent filings, higher rates of business formation, and a more aggressive expansion of research and development facilities. A strong index rating effectively cements the state’s reputation as a competitive hub for innovation, making it easier to attract and retain top-tier engineering and scientific talent.
Conversely, a lower score such as the current C minus rating carries several negative implications for the state’s future growth. Persistent low ratings can suggest a stagnation in the commercialization of new ideas or a potential cooling in private sector investment toward emerging technologies. If the index continues to linger near the 1.00 percent threshold, it may lead to increased risk aversion among local lenders and a reduction in the institutional support necessary for early-stage startups. This environment risks a loss of regional competitiveness, as innovators and entrepreneurs may look to neighboring states with more stable and highly-rated innovation climates to launch their next ventures.
Discussion:
In April, the Oregon 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 Oregon office provides R&D tax credit consulting and advisory services to Portland, Eugene, Salem, Gresham, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Bend, Medford, Springfield, and Corvallis.
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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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.
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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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