OREGON INVENTIONINDEX | NOVEMBER 2025

November 2025: 1.39% (C+ grade)

Oregon inventionINDEX November 2025: 1.39% (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).

Oregon inventionINDEX Scores – Last 12 months

The November 2025 inventionINDEX score of 1.39 percent places the Oregon innovation landscape in the C+ rating category, signaling a notable decline from the preceding months. In October 2025, the index stood at 1.83 percent with a B rating, following a much stronger September performance of 2.45 percent which earned an A- grade. When viewed across the sixty-month historical horizon, the current figure represents a period of softening compared to the robust activity seen in earlier years. This downward trend suggests a cooling of the innovation climate after a relatively stable mid-year performance, placing the index closer to its historical support levels than its peak achievements.

Achieving a higher grade, such as the A+ ratings seen in October 2023 at 7.06 percent or January 2024 at 2.93 percent, serves as a primary catalyst for regional economic vitality. These elevated scores typically reflect a surge in intellectual property filings, increased venture capital inflows, and a thriving ecosystem for research and development. A high inventionINDEX score positions the state as a leader in the knowledge economy, attracting top-tier talent and fostering a collaborative environment between academic institutions and the private sector. This level of performance ensures that the region remains competitive on a global scale, driving long-term prosperity and industrial modernization.

Conversely, a lower score or a failing grade carries significant negative implications for the state’s economic trajectory. The rare dip into negative territory observed in January 2023, where the score fell to -0.55 percent with an F rating, illustrates the potential for stagnation or contraction within the innovation sector. Lower grades often indicate a lack of new commercializable ideas, reduced funding for startups, or a systemic bottleneck in the patent pipeline. Such periods can lead to a loss of competitive advantage, as skilled innovators may seek opportunities in more dynamic markets, ultimately hindering the state’s ability to pivot toward emerging technologies and high-growth industries.

Examining the sixty-month data set reveals a pattern of volatility, with the current November 2025 rating of C+ highlighting a need for renewed focus on innovation drivers. While the score remains above the historical troughs seen in late 2021 and early 2023, it is far removed from the exceptional heights of late 2023. This current standing suggests that while the foundational elements of the invention ecosystem remain intact, the pace of output has slowed. Navigating this period requires a strategic assessment of the factors contributing to the decline to ensure that the index returns to the upward trajectory observed during previous peak cycles.

Discussion:

In November, the Oregon inventionINDEX scored a positive sentiment which was lower than the previous year’s average and underperformed the downward trend for the year. This is in contrast 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 Oregon office provides R&D tax credit consulting and advisory services to Portland, Eugene, Salem, Gresham, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Bend, Medford, Springfield, and Corvallis.

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.