A geographical study of the last four years of U.S. patents shows that innovation and inventions are happening in places big and small.
"Even with today's complex technologies and giant corporations that spend billions on research, small-time inventors remain a potent force -- consistently accounting for about 15% of all U.S. patents in recent years, by some estimates."
"What is changing: their ZIP Codes. Combing through the more than 475,000 U.S. patents granted in the past four years reveals a new map of the places where individual inventors are busy dreaming and tinkering. This shifting geography of innovation says a lot about how the American economy is changing -- and underscores its resilience."
[Editor's note: Although this article is only available to WSJ subscribers, it is available to Planetizen readers for free through the link below for a period of seven days.]
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