Wisconsin inventionINDEX September 2026: 2.54% (A+ 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 Wisconsin inventionINDEX Scores

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

The September 2026 Wisconsin inventionINDEX score of 2.54% with an A+ rating reflects a remarkably strong positioning relative to the historical dataset spanning the past 60 months. This result significantly outperforms the overall historical average of 1.69%, continuing a surge of robust performance that includes August at 2.19% and June at 2.44%. In fact, September 2026 marks one of the highest individual monthly scores across the five-year period, approaching earlier top figures such as January 2024 at 2.59% and May 2023 at 3.69%. The recent trajectory demonstrates strong upward momentum compared to the mid-tier results observed in late 2025 and early 2026, where scores fluctuated closer to the 1.20% to 1.90% range.

Across the entire 61-month sequence provided, the rating distribution reveals a predominant pattern of innovation excellence punctuated by brief periods of volatility. Top-tier marks dominate the record, with the premier A+ rating appearing 35 times and various A-category ratings accounting for the overwhelming majority of months. However, the data also highlights notable historical swings, including rare negative anomalies in July 2022 at -0.56% and June 2023 at -0.53%, both carrying an F rating. The steady accumulation of A and A+ ratings over the past two years demonstrates that Wisconsin’s underlying innovation ecosystem has stabilized and strengthened considerably following those earlier contractions.

Achieving higher inventionINDEX scores and elite grades yields substantial economic and structural advantages for the region. Stronger metrics indicate heightened patent filings, accelerated intellectual property activity, and expanding commercialization pipelines across research institutions and commercial enterprises. High ratings act as a magnet for institutional investors, venture capital firm deployment, and high-skilled talent seeking growing tech hubs. Furthermore, sustained high scores reinforce confidence among public and private stakeholders, encouraging increased investment in research and development infrastructure.

Conversely, lower index scores and depressed grades point to potential headwinds within the regional innovation pipeline. When ratings drop to B-tier, C-tier, or sub-zero F territory, it typically signals tightening credit conditions, declining private investment, or reduced research productivity. Prolonged periods of depressed scores can lead to reduced venture capital availability, talent migration to higher-growth regions, and delayed product commercialization. Understanding these downward pressure points enables policy makers and business leaders to proactively address structural barriers before short-term dips turn into long-term economic stagnation.

Discussion:

In September, the Wisconsin 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 an 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 Wisconsin office provides R&D tax credit consulting and advisory services to Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha, Racine, Appleton, Waukesha, Eau Claire, Oshkosh and Janesville

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.