MAINE INVENTIONINDEX | JUNE 2025
June 2025: 0.76% (D- grade)
Maine inventionINDEX June 2025: 0.76% (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).
| Month | inventionINDEX Score |
| June 2025 | 0.76% |
| May 25 | 1.05% |
| Apr 25 | 1.21% |
| Mar 25 | 0.82% |
| Feb 25 | 0.82% |
| Jan 25 | 0.93% |
| Dec 24 | 0.71% |
| Nov 24 | 0.76% |
| Oct 24 | 0.93% |
| Sep 24 | 0.71% |
| Aug 24 | 1.05% |
| Jul 24 | 1.05% |
| Jun 24 | 0.93% |
The inventionINDEX score for Maine in June 2025 stands at 0.76%, representing a slight dip from the previous month’s 1.05%. While this decrease may seem modest, it continues a broader trend of inconsistency observed over the past year. The state saw similar low scores in March and February 2025 (0.82%) and a notable low of 0.71% in December 2024 and September 2024. These fluctuations suggest a somewhat fragile innovation ecosystem, possibly influenced by sector-specific slowdowns or funding variability for R&D activities within the state.
Despite these irregularities, Maine has shown its capacity for stronger performance. The highest scores over the past year-1.21% in April 2025 and three consistent months at 1.05% in May 2025, August 2024, and July 2024-demonstrate the potential for competitive inventive output. When the score surpasses the 1.00% mark, it reflects a more active innovation climate, which can signal higher patent activity, increased research investments, or successful tech commercialization efforts. These gains are often linked to job creation, economic diversification, and greater attractiveness for startups and R&D-intensive industries.
Conversely, a sustained lower score, as seen in the recent June figure and several past months, may indicate a slowdown in invention disclosures or reduced engagement with intellectual property protection. This can stem from budget constraints, talent migration, or limited institutional support. A persistently low score risks diminishing Maine’s visibility as a center for innovation, potentially weakening its competitiveness relative to neighboring states with more consistent or rising indices.
Overall, while the June 2025 score is not the lowest on record, it reinforces the importance of consistent investment in innovation infrastructure. If Maine seeks to improve its inventionINDEX over the long term, it will need to prioritize support for inventors, research institutions, and early-stage ventures. Encouraging steady output and protecting intellectual assets will be essential to reversing this fluctuating trend and securing future economic resilience.
Discussion:
In June, the Maine inventionINDEX scored a negative sentiment which was lower than the previous year’s average and underperformed 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 Maine office provides R&D tax credit consulting and advisory services to Portland, Lewiston, Bangor, South Portland and Auburn.
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.
