For the fifth time, ASU ranked in the top 10 universities worldwide for United States utility patents on the National Academy of Inventors’ annual Top 100 Worldwide Universities list released today.

ASU ranked No. 9 worldwide for the third consecutive year and rose one spot to No. 5 nationally among universities granted U.S. utility patents in calendar year 2025, ahead of Harvard, Johns Hopkins University and Caltech. This marks the eighth consecutive year ASU ranked in the top 10 nationally.

MORE NEWS: The 100 Best Doctors in Arizona for 2026

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS: Want more news like this? Get our free newsletter here

The university secured 185 U.S. utility patents in calendar year 2025, compared with 180 the year before. Among the patents issued in 2025 are an assistive technology that facilitates the transition from sitting to standing for people with limited mobility, technology that translates plain language into complex technical queries for artificial intelligence and other advanced uses, and technology that aids with neurodegenerative testing. 

“We are proud to be leaders in discovery and innovation, which continue to drive economic prosperity across our communities and throughout the nation, positively impacting the lives of our citizens,” said Sally C. Morton, executive vice president of ASU Knowledge Enterprise. 

“This ranking reflects Arizona State University’s commitment to our collective purpose — advancing solutions to crucial challenges in health care, national security, the environment, and social and cultural needs.”

Patents play a critical role in moving university-based innovation from lab to market.

“The Top 100 Worldwide list highlights the importance U.S. patents hold in the global innovation ecosystem,” said Paul R. Sanberg, president of the National Academy of Inventors. “Academic institutions from around the globe rely on this protection of their intellectual property to ensure their technologies make it to market. 

“Through recognizing and celebrating these institutions who value their patent portfolio, we are highlighting the benefits of patenting for both the innovators and their universities and encouraging them to translate their technologies for larger societal and economic impact.”

Skysong Innovations, the technology transfer and intellectual property management organization for ASU, helps translate research into impact by negotiating licensing deals with commercial partners who advance the patented technologies and develop solutions for society.

“Patents are often vital for convincing downstream partners to invest resources in refining ASU innovations into scalable, real-world solutions,” said Kyle Siegal, executive director and chief patent counsel for Skysong Innovations. “These latest patents will continue to drive new licensing deals, startups and economic impact for the state of Arizona and beyond.”

Skysong Innovations has secured more than 1,700 U.S.-issued patents for ASU research since July 2002. To date, startups based on ASU intellectual property have cumulatively raised more than $1.5 billion in external funding.

ASU-based technologies that received U.S. utility patents in 2025 highlight ASU’s continued innovation in artificial intelligence, education technology, health care and semiconductor industries. Here are a few highlights:

  • ASU researchers created an assistive device to help older adults and individuals with lower-limb weakness who struggle to transition between sitting and standing, which increases their fall risk and reduces their independence. Existing assistive devices can be bulky, costly, require power or are not suitable for everyday use. This wearable support uses a passive mechanical lever to let the person use their upper-body strength to reduce strain on their knees and legs when they stand up from a chair or sit down. It does not require batteries or power to operate and could help people stay more independent and reduce their fall risk. The technology was invented by Thomas Sugar, wearable robotics engineer and associate dean for Barrett, The Honors College at ASU’s Polytechnic campus, and Jake Okun, instructional professional in the School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks. 
  • ASU developed a technology that enables users to ask questions in natural human language to search and analyze large, complex datasets stored in a graph database. This ASU-patented technology makes it easier for people who do not have technical query language skills to explore, visualize and gain insights from interconnected and complicated data. This technology has been licensed by ASU startup Axio Education and was invented by Mark Naufel, former executive director of ASU’s Luminosity Lab.
  • ASU researchers developed a technology that applies computational models to diagnose neurodegenerative diseases using patterns found in a patient’s biological data, such as signals measured from a blood sample. Computer algorithms analyze these patterns to estimate disease risk and help distinguish between conditions. This advancement provides a step toward simpler, more accessible testing that could support earlier and more informed care decisions. The technology was invented by Paul Coleman, research professor, and Carol Huseby, research assistant professor, both with the ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center.
  • Researchers also developed a way to find the optimal growth conditions for group III-V semiconductor alloys that contain bismuth, which is hard to control. ASU created a kinetic model that predicts how bismuth, antimony and arsenic atoms behave during growth so adjustments can be made to achieve the ideal conditions for producing specific III-V bismide semiconductor materials. The technology was invented by Shane Johnson, a research scientist in the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering.