June 2026: 39.17% (A+ grade)

Wyoming inventionINDEX June 2026: 39.17% (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 Wyoming inventionINDEX Scores

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

The Wyoming inventionINDEX historical dataset spanning the last 61 months demonstrates a clear, long-term upward trajectory in innovation and intellectual property metrics, concluding with a robust score of 39.17% and an A+ rating in June 2026. This recent figure represents a substantial appreciation compared to the historical baseline, as the overall 60-month mean sits at approximately 15.15%. A closer examination of the yearly averages reveals that the index has steadily matured over time. In 2021 and 2022, the yearly averages hovered around 7.61% and 7.51% respectively, before experiencing a notable expansion to 11.22% in 2023, followed by a surge to 16.79% in 2024 and an impressive 25.13% in 2025. The performance in the first half of 2026 continues this elevated trend with a year-to-date average of 23.81%, signaling that the region has established a new, higher plateau for its inventive output rather than experiencing a brief, unsustainable spike.

When examining specific historical milestones within the provided timeframe, the volatility and resilience of the Wyoming inventionINDEX become highly evident. The absolute peak of the dataset occurred in March 2025, when the index reached a remarkable 51.89%, while the lowest point was recorded in July 2022 at a negative 8.52%, which triggered a rare F rating. Despite isolated downward fluctuations—including occasional C ratings in late 2021, early 2022, and mid-2024—the data reflects an overwhelming consistency in premium performance, with 55 out of the 61 evaluated months securing an elite A+ rating. The current score of 39.17% in June 2026 stands as the second-highest mark in the entire five-year span, highlighting a strong recovery from the minor mid-year dips observed in previous cycles, such as the 1.02% score in August 2024 or the 2.61% score in June 2023.

Maintaining a high score and a top-tier grade yields numerous positive outcomes for Wyoming’s economic and technological ecosystem. A consistently strong index indicates a fertile environment for research and development, efficient patent application pipelines, and high commercialization potential for new technologies. From a strategic perspective, these high marks enhance the state’s regional reputation, serving as a powerful signal to venture capitalists, angel investors, and corporate partners that the area is a thriving hub for high-yield innovation. Furthermore, an enduring A+ rating can help attract top-tier scientific talent, engineering professionals, and entrepreneurial academic faculty, thereby creating a self-reinforcing cycle of knowledge creation and wealth generation that benefits local industries and public infrastructure.

On the other hand, the negative implications of a lower index score or a degraded rating present serious considerations for policymakers and industry leaders. When the score falls significantly below the historical average, as seen during the anomalies in July 2022 or the low single-digit marks in mid-2023 and mid-2024, it indicates potential bottlenecks in the innovation pipeline, reduced funding availability, or a temporary contraction in creative outputs. Prolonged or frequent drops can erode stakeholder confidence, discourage external capital investment, and cause local inventors to seek resources in more competitive states. These cyclical dips serve as an essential warning system, highlighting the urgent need for targeted intervention, public-private support systems, and strategic resource allocation to prevent temporary stagnation from hardening into a long-term economic decline.

Discussion:

In June, the Wyoming 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 considerable 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 Wyoming office provides R&D tax credit consulting and advisory services to Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie, Gillette and Rock Springs

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.