Florida High Tech Corridor Universities Rival Other Research Hubs in Patents and High Tech Growth

LAKE MARY, Fla. - June 12, 2014 - PRLog -- The three Florida High Tech Corridor research universities – the University of Central Florida (UCF), the University of South Florida (USF) and the University of Florida (UF) – individually ranked in the top 40 of worldwide universities granted U.S. patents in 2013 according to a list recently released by the National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association.  Collectively, the three Corridor universities beat out the patent portfolios of university groups in the other established and well-recognized high tech hubs of North Carolina’s Research Triangle and Austin’s Silicon Hills region.

Together, the Corridor universities were granted 239 patents compared to 130 granted to the Triangle (Duke University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) and the 226 patents granted to Texas universities (the entire University of Texas system, Rice University and Texas A&M University).  USF is ranked 12, UF is ranked 14 and UCF is ranked 38 out of the worldwide universities.  The list recognizes the important role patents play in university research and highlights the Corridor region’s growth as a high tech hub through continued innovation and technology transfer from universities to the marketplace.

“The universities of the Research Triangle and in Texas have a long-standing tradition of high tech research and innovation, and it is an honor to be included among the ranks of such research institutions,” said Randy Berridge, Florida High Tech Corridor Council president.  “I am proud of the leadership of Dr. M.J. Soileau, UCF Vice President for Research & Commercialization, Dr. Paul Sanberg, USF Senior Vice President for Research & Innovation, and Dr. David Norton, UF Vice President for Research, and the work of faculty and students at UCF, USF and UF that has led to such advancements in science and high technology to warrant a greater number of patents this year.”

The list is based on data obtained from the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office.  For the full list, visit http://www.academyofinventors.com/pdf/NAI-IPO-Top-100-Universities-2013.pdf.

About The Florida High Tech Corridor Council

The Florida High Tech Corridor Council is an economic development initiative of the University of Central Florida (UCF), the University of South Florida (USF) and the University of Florida (UF).  The mission of FHTCC is to grow high tech industry and innovation through partnerships that support research, marketing, workforce and entrepreneurship.

A partnership involving more than 25 local and regional economic development organizations (EDOs), 14 state/community colleges and 12 workforce boards, the Council is co-chaired by the presidents of UCF, USF and UF.  The Council includes the presidents of two of the community colleges, the president of the Florida Institute of Technology and representatives of high tech industry.

The unique partnership has resulted in a strategic approach to high tech economic development that supports matching funds research, marketing, workforce development and entrepreneurship leveraging governmental, EDO and corporate budgets on a regional rather than local basis.

For more information, visit www.floridahightech.com.