National Academy of Inventors

The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) is a US non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging inventors in academia, following the model of the National Academies of the United States.[1] It was founded at the University of South Florida in 2010.

National Academy of Inventors

Founded	2010
Website	http://www.academyofinventors.org

Starting in 2012, the NAI has inducted 757 Fellows into the organization.[2] Fellows must be named as an inventor on at least one US patent and are selected by the NAI Fellows Committee.[3] Past members of the selection committee have included audio engineer and record producer Sir George Martin.[4]

The NAI also includes colleges and universities as institutional members, beginning with 12 such institutions in 2012: the University of South Florida, Georgetown University, Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Akron, University of Cincinnati, Auburn University, Boston University, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and the Stevens Institute of Technology.[5] While most of these institutional members are in the United States, there are institutional members in seven other countries.[6]

Since 2013, the National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association have released an annual report listing the top 100 universities by the number of US patents.[7][8] The University of California has topped the list each year.[9][10][11][12]

The NAI has held a yearly national conference since 2011. Keynote speakers have included former U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu.[13]

In 2017, US Representative Dennis A. Ross introduced the bill HR 976, which would provide the NAI a federal charter like those held by other US National Academies.[14]