MAINE INVENTIONINDEX | MAY 2025
May 2025: 1.05% (C grade)
Maine inventionINDEX May 2025: 1.05% (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).
Over the past 12 months, the Maine inventionINDEX Score has demonstrated moderate fluctuations, with the most recent figure for May 2025 coming in at 1.05%. This places it above the 12-month average of approximately 0.91%, signaling a relatively strong month in terms of inventive output, innovation quality, or related patenting activity. Compared to the same period last year (May 2024), which recorded a score of 0.82%, the current score represents a notable year-over-year increase. This suggests that Maine may be benefiting from strengthened R&D efforts, greater collaboration between academia and industry, or more effective intellectual property strategies.
When scores trend higher, as they did in April 2025 (1.21%) and in other months like August and July 2024 (both at 1.05%), it typically reflects a healthy innovation pipeline. Higher inventionINDEX scores can point to improved patent grant volumes, increased novelty of filings, and potentially stronger economic prospects for regional tech ecosystems. For stakeholders such as investors, university tech transfer offices, and policy-makers, sustained or rising scores offer reassurance that innovation infrastructure is functioning effectively, with measurable outcomes. These periods can also be leveraged to attract additional funding or talent to the region.
Conversely, lower scores—such as the 0.71% recorded in both December 2024 and September 2024—may indicate short-term stagnation or delays in research commercialization. Although not necessarily a sign of systemic weakness, consistently low inventionINDEX values could point to bottlenecks in patent prosecution, underinvestment in research, or lagging innovation in key sectors. It’s essential for innovation-focused institutions to investigate whether such dips stem from seasonal slowdowns, structural issues, or shifts in industry focus. If left unaddressed, persistent underperformance could erode the competitiveness of Maine’s innovation economy.
Taken together, the historical data shows that Maine’s inventionINDEX is on a mild upward trend with some variability. The positive movement in early 2025 is a favorable sign, but the overall pattern underlines the importance of continuous support and monitoring. Efforts to sustain momentum—through innovation incentives, public-private partnerships, or policy reforms—could help build resilience against downturns. As innovation becomes increasingly central to economic development, keeping the inventionINDEX high and stable will be critical to securing Maine’s long-term position in the national innovation landscape.
Discussion:
In May, the Maine 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 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.
