Number of Independent Inventors
Unknown. “Just how many independent inventors there are out there is largely unknown, since the principal measure at present reflects only their patenting activity. It is not unreasonable, though, to suggest that their numbers are legion.” (Donald Grant Kelly, Licensing Consultant and Registered Patent Agent, “The Ten Most Common Mistakes: Inventors on their Own,” Intellectual Property (IP) Journal of the PTDLA, June/December 2001)
176,681. Number U.S. patents granted to independent inventors from 1991 - 2001. “Throughout the last last [sic] decade, 176,681 US patents issued to US-based individual inventors, starting with 16,234 grants in CY 1991and rising to 20,352 grants in CY 2000. USPTO Technology Assessment and Forecast Special Report, All Patents-- All Types, January 1977 - - December 2000 at http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/reports.htm.” (Donald Grant Kelly, Licensing Consultant and Registered Patent Agent, “The Ten Most Common Mistakes: Inventors on their Own,” Intellectual Property (IP) Journal of the PTDLA, June/December 2001)
25,237 patents issued to individuals in 1992. “In 1992, individuals accounted for 25,237 issued patents, while corporations accounted for 82,296.” (Caryne Brown, “Making money making toys: how black inventors are bringing innovative ideas to the toy market”, Black Enterprise, November 1, 1993)
20,352. Number of U.S. patents granted to U.S. independent inventors in calendar year 2000. “The US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) defines independent inventors as patent applicants whose file records do not reflect corporate assignment when the patent is issued. Throughout the last last decade, 176,681 US patents issued to US-based individual inventors, starting with 16,234 grants in CY 1991and rising to 20,352 grants in CY 2000. USPTO Technology Assessment and Forecast Special Report, All Patents-- All Types, January 1977 - - December 2000 at http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/reports.htm.” (Donald Grant Kelly, Licensing Consultant and Registered Patent Agent, “The Ten Most Common Mistakes: Inventors on their Own,” Intellectual Property (IP) Journal of the PTDLA, June/December 2001)
16,000. Number of independent inventors receiving patents in 2000. “Of the 1,500 or more "notices of allowance" mailed out in a typical week from the patent office's high-rise quarters in Alexandria, Va., to let American applicants know they succeeded, nearly 1 in 5 goes to people working on their own. More than 16,000 independent inventors received patents in the year 2000 -- almost 30 percent more than in 1990. (Avery Comarow, “Flying Solo - History of the lone inventor,” U.S. News &World Report, February 11, 2002)
Number of Mompreneurs
5 million. There are an estimated five million ‘mom-preneurs.’ In fact, moms start new businesses at twice the rate of any other segment of the population. Mothers represent a $1.7 trillion buying market. (Maria T. Bailey, an author and owner of BSM Media, quoted in Jenny Staletovich, “Local mothers are the inventors of necessities,” Miami Herald, Mon, Nov. 12, 2007) Discover more information about the trillion mompreneur market.
Patents Filed by Independent Inventors
Up to 80% of U.S. patents were filed by individuals at one time. “At one time, up to 80 percent of U.S. patents were filed by individuals, and a number of studies of "heroic" individual inventors became part of the U.S. economic folklore (Jewkes, Sawers & Stillerman, 1958). By the early 1980's, however, the individual inventor was losing ground to organizations in the patenting figures, falling as low as 23 percent of total domestic U.S. patents in 1983 (National Science Board, 1993). After an uptick in the 1990s, the percentage appears to again be declining (National Science Board, 2000).” (G. Scott Erickson, “Organizational size and invention: an examination of U.S. patentees,” Global Competitiveness, January 1, 2006)
28% of patents were filed by independent inventors in 2007. “[The] volume [of patent applications filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office] is not just being driven by big-name companies and universities. In fiscal 2007, 28 percent of patent applications were filed by independent inventors.” (Commissioner for Patents John J. Doll quoted in Theresa Vargas, Washington Post Staff Writer, “Novel Ideas Pass Through Filter at U.S. Patent Office,” Washington Post, Sunday, November 18, 2007)
23% of U.S. patents were filed by individuals in 1983. “At one time, up to 80 percent of U.S. patents were filed by individuals, and a number of studies of 'heroic' individual inventors became part of the U.S. economic folklore (Jewkes, Sawers & Stillerman, 1958). By the early 1980's, however, the individual inventor was losing ground to organizations in the patenting figures, falling as low as 23 percent of total domestic U.S. patents in 1983 (National Science Board, 1993). After an uptick in the 1990s, the percentage appears to again be declining (National Science Board, 2000).” (G. Scott Erickson, “Organizational size and invention: an examination of U.S. patentees,” Global Competitiveness, January 1, 2006)
15% of patent applications filed in FY 1998 were filed by independent inventors. “In FY 1998, America's independent inventors filed 15% of the 256,666 applications received by the agency.” (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, “PTO Opens Office To Address Needs Of Independent Inventors,” March 30, 1999)
15% of U.S. patents are to independent inventors. “Independent inventors …are responsible for 15 percent of all U.S. patents. Fewer than 5 percent of those patents are ever produced in the marketplace.” (Tim Lemke, “Invention + market savvy = successful product”, The Washington Times, April 16, 2001)
Only 14% of patent applications to USPTO are submitted by independent inventors. “…independent inventors submit just 14% of the [patent] applications received in an average year. (Cyndia Zwahlen, Special To The Times, Los Angeles Times, • Home Edition • Business, Page 5, Wednesday February 10, 1999)
Granted 13% of patents. “In fact, and as current statistics confirm, the percentage of patents granted to U.S. independent inventors has remained steady at approximately 13% between 1983 and 1996 (USPTO, 1997). (Thomas Astebro, “Basic statistics on the success rate and profits for independent inventors”, Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, December 22, 1998)
