Wyoming inventionINDEX August 2026: 23.27% (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.

An analysis of the Wyoming inventionINDEX over the past 60 months reveals a remarkable long-term upward trajectory in state innovation activity. Starting from a modest baseline in late 2021 and early 2022, where scores frequently hovered around 1.02% to 4.20%, Wyoming experienced its lowest point in July 2022 with a score of -8.52% and an F rating. However, the subsequent years demonstrate a dramatic recovery and expansion. By mid-2024 through late 2026, the state consistently generated double-digit percentage scores, culminating in an August 2026 reading of 23.27% with an A+ rating. This shift highlights a structural transition from stagnant patent growth toward an aggressive, highly productive research environment.

The data highlights several notable performance peaks, most prominently in March 2025 when the index surged to a historic high of 51.89%. Further surges occurred in June 2026 at 39.17% and March 2026 at 35.99%, demonstrating that high-tier intellectual property output has become a recurring trend rather than an isolated anomaly. Compared to earlier volatile spans like mid-2023, where score dips to 1.02% (C grade) and 2.61% (B+ grade) signaled transient slowdowns, recent cycles reflect sustained resilience. The momentum accumulated throughout 2025 and 2026 indicates that local enterprises are outperforming baseline economic projections through continuous technological development.

Achieving higher inventionINDEX scores and maintaining an A+ rating carries significant strategic advantages for Wyoming’s economic ecosystem. Elevated scores signal robust research and development output relative to Gross Domestic Product, fostering an attractive climate for institutional investors and top-tier technical talent. Organizations operating within high-scoring periods benefit from expanded intellectual property portfolios, maximized eligible expenses for federal and state R&D tax credits, and heightened competitive differentiation. Furthermore, strong innovation metrics build regional commercial health, providing a cushion against broader macroeconomic downturns and diversifying the state’s traditional industrial sectors.

Conversely, a drop in index scores or a downgrade to lower tiers like C or F introduces substantial strategic risks. Low scores, such as the -8.52% registered in July 2022, indicate that patent creation is falling behind broader economic output, pointing to underfunded R&D pipelines or systemic delays in commercializing technologies. Persistent underperformance exposes companies to market share loss, reduced leverage when filing tax credits, and a diminished ability to attract venture capital. To counter these downside risks, stakeholders must proactively monitor these index cycles, continuously reinvest in research projects, and ensure efficient patent application pipelines.

Discussion:

In August, the Wyoming inventionINDEX scored a positive sentiment which was lower than the previous year’s average but 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.