Next-generation innovation

For Kansas State University researchers, a patent is more than prestigious recognition from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It's innovation and a next-generation land-grant university in action.

That innovation looks like carbon nanomaterials and graphene-based substrates that can be used for imaging. It is agricultural technology advancements and new methods for geo-locating seeds, as well as K-State Salina research focused on wireless power transfer antenna systems. It is also important work in entomology, animal science, veterinary medicine and other areas to improve lives in Kansas and across the world.

Those are just a sampling of some of the 18 patented innovations that K-State researchers received in 2025. Now, K-State is being recognized as one of the nation's top patent-producing universities.

National recognition for patent production

K-State is No. 83 in the Top 100 U.S. universities granted utility patents in 2025, according to the latest list published by the National Academy of Inventors. The annual list highlights and celebrates U.S. academic institutions that play a significant role in advancing innovation through the critical step of securing their intellectual property through patents.

The national recognition illustrates K-State's commitment as a next-generation land-grant university to drive transformational discovery, innovation and scholarship.

"K-State's recognition on the National Academy of Inventors list is a powerful affirmation of the ingenuity of our faculty, staff and students and the impact of their work for Kansas and beyond," said Hans Coetzee, K-State vice president for research. "This ranking reflects our next-generation land-grant mission in action — turning cutting-edge discoveries into protected intellectual property that attracts partners, fuels industry collaboration and delivers real solutions to global challenges."

Research foundation supports and protects faculty's intellectual property

The Kansas State University Research Foundation, or KSURF, leads the university's efforts in protecting researchers' intellectual property and bringing innovations to market.

"K-State's climb into the Top 100 patent-producing universities celebrates the relentless curiosity of our faculty," said Chris Brandt, K-State associate vice president with the Kansas State University Research Foundation. "Through the Kansas State University Research Foundation, we continue to cultivate a world-class ecosystem where researchers and industry partners collaborate to bring game-changing technologies to life."

The KSURF team works with researchers during all stages of the technology commercialization process, from reporting inventions to assessing the technology and determining the best methods to protect an innovation, including filing patents. KSURF also works with researchers to commercialize and license patented technologies.

Learn how KSURF moves discoveries forward.

Shaping the future of innovation

The National Academy of Inventors, or NAI, has published its first ranking list, the Top 100 Worldwide Universities list, since 2013. The Top 100 U.S. universities list was introduced in 2023 to provide a more focused view of the national innovation landscape and the contributions made by U.S. academic institutions. Collectively, the universities on the 2025 Top 100 U.S. list secured more than 6,700 patents during the 2025 calendar year.

"These universities and their inventive faculty are at the forefront of driving national innovation and competitiveness," said Paul R. Sanberg, president of the National Academy of Inventors. "By moving their ideas to market and protecting their IP with patents, these institutions are ensuring that the U.S. not only remains competitive on the global stage, but directly shapes the future of innovation."

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