MAINE INVENTIONINDEX | NOVEMBER 2025

November 2025: 0.88% (D+ grade)

Maine inventionINDEX November 2025: 0.88% (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).

Maine inventionINDEX Scores – Last 12 months

The inventionINDEX score for November 2025 stands at 0.88%, which translates to a D+ rating. This recent performance sits below the five-year historical average of approximately 0.93% and is also noticeably lower than the rolling average of the last twelve months, which was closer to 0.98%. This suggests that the current level of inventive activity, as measured by the Index, is trailing both the long-term historical benchmark and the more immediate annual trend. Furthermore, the score has been 0.88% for the past two months, suggesting a period of stabilization at a below-average level after a brief surge earlier in the year, indicating a need for renewed momentum.

Periods of elevated performance, indicated by higher scores and more favorable grades, are directly correlated with positive economic and innovative outcomes. The peak historical score was recorded in March 2024 at an exceptional 1.78%, earning an A+ rating, with another strong performance of 1.50% in October 2023. These periods of high-grade attainment suggest a robust and dynamic invention ecosystem, typically reflecting increased research and development investment, greater intellectual property generation, and a more competitive economy. A high score signals confidence to external investors, suggesting a fertile ground for commercialization and technological advancement, ultimately driving high-value job creation and sustained economic growth.

Conversely, a persistent trend of lower scores carries clear negative implications for the state’s innovation economy. The historical data shows scores as low as 0.65%, resulting in an F rating in multiple months, such as May 2021. A low inventionINDEX score indicates stagnation or a contraction in inventive output, often resulting from insufficient funding for innovation initiatives, a lack of skilled talent, or bureaucratic hurdles in the invention process. Prolonged low performance can lead to a decrease in competitive advantage, cause a flight of intellectual capital, and result in missed opportunities for high-value economic diversification. The concentration of D and F ratings in the historical data serves as a cautionary signal, highlighting periods where strategic intervention may be necessary to stimulate the invention pipeline.

The historical table reveals significant volatility in the inventionINDEX score, ranging from a low of 0.65% to a high of 1.78% over the last five years. While the index demonstrates the capacity for breakthrough performance, the current D+ rating highlights a regression towards lower historical norms. Sustained, strong performance is the key objective, requiring strategic efforts to move consistently past the historical average of 0.93% and establish the B and A tiers as the new standard. To ensure the state maximizes its potential for innovation, policymakers and industry leaders must focus on creating an environment that minimizes the frequency of low scores while nurturing the conditions that produced the peak A+ performances.

Discussion:

In November, 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 in contrast to the prior 12 months, which experienced a slight downward 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.