WEST VIRGINIA INVENTIONINDEX | NOVEMBER 2025

November 2025: 1.24% (B- grade)

West Virginia inventionINDEX November 2025: 1.24% (B- 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).

West Virginia inventionINDEX Scores – Last 12 months

The most recent data from November 2025 shows an inventionINDEX score of 1.24% with a B- rating. This represents a steady recovery from the volatile period seen earlier in 2025, where the index dipped to a low of 0.41% in May. When compared to the five-year historical average, the current score sits comfortably in the mid-range. While it remains lower than the historical peak of 2.91% achieved in July 2022, it shows a significant improvement over the frequent “F” grades that characterized several months in 2021, 2022, and early 2025. The index has demonstrated a cyclical nature over the last sixty months, often bouncing back after periods of stagnation, which suggests a resilient inventive environment within West Virginia.

Attaining a higher grade, such as the A+ ratings seen frequently throughout 2024 and late 2023, signals a robust period of innovation and economic potential for the state. High inventionINDEX scores often correlate with increased patent filings, enhanced research and development funding, and a more favorable environment for startup growth. These peaks suggest that the state is successfully leveraging its intellectual capital and infrastructure to produce marketable ideas. Furthermore, a high rating serves as a powerful signal to outside investors and venture capitalists that West Virginia is a fertile ground for technological advancement, potentially leading to sustained job creation and long-term economic diversification.

Conversely, lower scores such as the 0.62% and 0.41% ratings experienced in the spring and fall of 2025 carry concerning implications for the state’s competitive edge. A low index score typically indicates a lull in creative output or a lack of institutional support for new ventures. This can lead to a loss of talent where local innovators seek more supportive ecosystems in other regions, further hampering future growth. Persistent low ratings may also reflect structural challenges in the state’s innovation pipeline, such as inadequate access to capital or a slowdown in academic and industrial collaboration. Such periods of underperformance often require careful policy intervention to prevent long-term stagnation in the high-tech sector.

Observing the sixty-month trajectory, the West Virginia inventionINDEX remains a dynamic indicator of the state’s fluctuating innovation landscape. The recent climb back to a B- rating in November 2025 provides a hopeful outlook for the coming year. Maintaining this momentum will likely depend on consistent support for research initiatives and the fostering of a culture that rewards entrepreneurial risk-taking. By analyzing these historical shifts, stakeholders can better understand the factors that drive peaks and troughs, allowing for more informed decisions regarding economic development. The ultimate goal remains to stabilize the index at a higher baseline to ensure the state consistently performs at its full inventive capacity.

Discussion:

In November, the West Virginia inventionINDEX scored a positive sentiment which was higher than the previous year’s average and outperformed 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 West Virginia office provides R&D tax credit consulting and advisory services to Charleston, Huntington, Morgantown, Parkersburg, and Wheeling.

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.