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How authoritarian regimes hunt their opponents abroad

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11 months ago

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The murder of Jamal Khashoggi made Saudi Arabia a 'pariah', according to the US
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The world’s authoritarian regimes are persecuting their opponents living abroad more vigorously than ever before and some get away with murder, literally.

A blatant example of the impunity some governments enjoy is Saudi Arabia’s de-facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose country US President Joe Biden labelled a “pariah” over the 2018 murder and dismemberment of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.  

Yet in June, Saudi made up with Turkey — where the murder happened — and Biden decided to include the kingdom on a tour of the Middle East.

Experts say transnational repression of opposition figures is nothing new, but since digital technologies have allowed dissidents to needle authoritarian regimes from across borders more easily, they have stoked the wrath of strongmen like rarely before.

“The threat perception of dictators or these repressive regimes has increased,” said Marcus Michaelson, a researcher on authoritarianism at the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels.

According to US watchdog Freedom House, there were at least 735 direct, physical incidents of transnational repression between 2014 and 2021, carried out by 36 governments, notably those of China, Turkey, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Rwanda. 

Four regimes joined the list in 2021, including Belarus, which diverted an aircraft to arrest an opposition figure.

– ‘Harassment to murder’ –

Spectacular acts like the poisoning of former Russian intelligence agent Sergei Skripal in Britain in 2018, or the killing in 2019 in Berlin of Georgian Chechen Zelimkhan Khangoshvili — attributed to Russia — get the world’s attention, but much of the repression happens under the radar.

“The range of tactics goes from harassment to murder,” said Katia Roux at Amnesty International France.

Turkish journalist Can Dundar, who runs a website and a radio station aimed at Turkey and the Turkish diaspora from exile in Germany, has become a target for the secret apparatus of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

“In the first year we found a Turkish camera crew (…) recording our office and giving all the details of our office, including our address and our daily work schedule, at what time we are there, at what time we are getting out etc, and showing it as the ‘headquarters of the traitors’ making plans against Turkey,” he told AFP.

Turkish intelligence “is very active, especially in Germany and France,” he said, recalling the attack by three men on a Turkish journalist in Berlin in July 2021 who warned him to stop writing about certain topics.

Pakistani journalist Taha Siddiqui, who fled to France after a kidnapping attempt he blamed on his home country’s security services, said he still didn’t actually feel safe in exile, only “safer”.

In 2020 a Pakistani intelligence officer told Siddiqui’s parents that “if Taha thinks he’s safe in Paris, he is mistaken. We can reach anyone anywhere”.

The threat came the same year as the suspicious deaths of a Pakistani journalist in Sweden, and of a Pakistani human rights activist in Canada, and a year before a British court convicted a man for the contract killing of a Pakistani blogger in Dutch exile.

“They have made me paranoid, suspicious, scared, even in exile,” said Siddiqui, who has opened “The Dissident Club” in Paris, a bar dedicated to discussion, exhibitions and screenings.

Digital technologies give repressive regimes a whole new toolkit to sidestep the political cost or diplomatic risk that can come with physical action against dissidents, with “almost no consequences”, said Michaelson.

They have a “commercial market for surveillance technologies” at their disposal, such as the Israeli-made spy software Pegasus, which are cost-effective, he said.

“So they don’t need to invest a lot of manpower or send agents to spy on dissidents abroad,” he said.

A telling example is Egyptian opposition figure Ayman Nour, a friend of Khashoggi, and exiled in Turkey.

Citizen Lab, a body for research into technology, human rights and security, said it found two sets of spyware on Nour’s mobile phone — Pegasus and Predator — operated by two different governments. 

– ‘You have to stop’ –

Calling spying “a form or organised crime”, Nour said he always thought of his phone as “a radio that anybody can listen to”.

Amnesty International has identified 11 government clients for Pegasus which allows “the surveillance of anybody in a completely invisible and untraceable way”, said Roux.

Activists in China defending the rights of the Uyghur minority, against which western countries say China is committing “genocide”, often find that digital threats precede physical violence, said Michaelson.

Meiirbek Sailanbek, a member of China’s Kazakh community, said he uninstalled all Chinese apps from his phone when he moved to neighbouring Kazakhstan, and deleted the numbers of his brother and sister who still live in Xinjiang, the Uyghur autonomous region in northwest China.

When the Kazakhstan authorities arrested the head of the Atajurt NGO — which Sailanbek had joined writing social posts under a pseudonym — he fled the country, settling in Paris.

But Kazakhstan’s authorities identified him, and since then the Chinese government is threatening his brother and sister with prison if he continues his activism.

“Meiirbek, your sister and brother are in danger, you have to stop,” said a message forwarded to him by his mother.

Sailanbek faces arrest if he returns to China or Kazakhstan, but he considers Turkey, Pakistan, Arab nations and Russia to be off-limits too because he believes they would give in to Chinese pressure to hand him over.

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Rising costs, work-life balance among top mental health stressors for Canadian entrepreneurs

A look at BDC’s latest survey results on mental health challenges for Canadian entrepreneurs.

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1 day ago

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May 29, 2023

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Have you recently gone into business for yourself? BDC’s latest survey indicates a higher likelihood of you facing some mental health challenges. 

And you’re more likely to seek professional help if you’re a: 

  • Women
  • Younger business owner
  • Business owner with 20+ employees
  • Business owner in the arts, entertainment, and recreation fields
  • Startup business owner

While men and older business owners were less likely to seek professional health, that doesn’t necessarily equal fewer mental health challenges. 

Indeed, BDC’s latest survey on 1,500 Canadian SME business owners and mental health illuminates a concerning 45% increase in Canadian business owners facing mental health challenges (compared to 38% last year). 

Here are some more highlights from the report: 

More Canadian entrepreneurs feel tired and depressed, with fewer seeking help

The survey responses show that 67% of entrepreneurs felt tired and low-energy at least once a week. Similarly, nearly 50% felt depressed and like they didn’t accomplish everything they would have liked to. 

“Entrepreneurs often comment that it feels lonely at the top and rarely speak candidly about organizational and personal challenges,” said Hassel Aviles, co-founder of Not 9 to 5. 

While certain groups are more likely to seek support than others, the survey still only shows about a third (35%) of respondents actually sought mental health support. 

And the hesitation isn’t a matter of pride. The top barrier to seeking help was the high costs of mental health services, with uncertainty and discomfort discussing things following close behind. 

“I currently pay out-of-pocket for a private therapist,” said one anonymous survey respondent. “I am very grateful for that, and I click with my therapist well, but it typically costs me $200- $400 per month. This is a hard expense to tend to in the current economic situation.”

Inflation and work-life balance are top stressors

The survey showed that 54% of entrepreneurs cited inflation and work-life balance as top stressors. The two go hand-in-hand, since rising costs fuel longer hours to make ends meet. Notably, work-life balance was a more sought-after support to mitigate the stress, followed by better access to mental health resources. 

“Inflation rates and other factors are affecting their businesses in ways that are harder to control, leaving many entrepreneurs resorting to working even longer hours just to stay afloat,” said Annie Marsolais, CMO at BDC. 

Small business owners are just as mentally strained as medium business owners

You might assume these findings apply more to “bigger” business owners with 20+ employees. But the survey profile indicates that 88% of respondents have under 20 employees, with 56% having under five employees. 

“As individuals, we can’t control the rates of inflation and the stress it may cause,” said Aviles. “But we can learn to manage our reactions to that stress. Learning how to do this is an opportunity to create separation between who we are and the work we do, which is healthy, and supports the work-life balance entrepreneurs are seeking to achieve.”

Read BDC’s full survey results. 

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9 in 10 small businesses use tech platforms—here are the most common types

Published

4 days ago

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May 26, 2023

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Nextiva identified the top types of tech platforms small businesses use based on a 2022 survey from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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Small businesses looking to reach potential customers, streamline sales systems, and manage payroll are increasingly turning to technology to optimize their operations. Over 90% of U.S. small businesses use at least one technology platform for their operations and growth, according to a 2022 survey from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many small businesses to close, and those that survived the worst of the economic downturn then faced supply chain disruptions, staff shortages, and inflation. The survey found 86% of small business owners said technology helped their businesses survive the pandemic, especially as more businesses moved online and employees started working remotely.

Investing the time and energy to follow technology trends and learn how to implement new platforms can pay off for companies by automating parts of their operations and bringing them new insights into their potential and current customers. For small businesses, technology provides opportunities to expand capacity and simplify workflows.

Nextiva identified the top types of tech platforms small businesses used in the wake of the pandemic, based on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey data. The survey included 1,755 owners of businesses with fewer than 250 employees, and not in the agricultural sector.

A Block branded POS stand with a chip card reader.

Tada Images // Shutterstock

#4. Point-of-sale tools (tie)

– Share of small businesses utilizing this platform type: 36%

Technology can help small businesses in processing sales. Tools like Block—formerly known as Square, Clover, and Toast—allow businesses to accept credit card payments from anywhere employees and customers can use a smartphone. This offers a more flexible alternative to the traditional cash register system. Point-of-sale technology was particularly helpful to restaurants early in the pandemic by allowing diners to order and pay for their food by phone, with limited contact with servers. In addition to accepting payments, some point-of-sale systems also help track inventory, run daily sales reports, and manage customer loyalty rewards.

Laptop computer displaying logo of Google Workspace.

monticello // Shutterstock

#4. Productivity tools (tie)

– Share of small businesses utilizing this platform type: 36%

A significant share of small businesses use technology to boost productivity. With the growing popularity of remote work, small businesses are looking for new ways to stay connected to employees who may be physically apart. Tools like Google Workspace and Slack help streamline internal communications and collaboration among employees. Common features of this type of technology include instant messaging, document sharing that allows for collaborative editing, project management systems, and meeting scheduling. Another aspect of productivity is time management, including tools for time tracking and monitoring employees’ output.

Hand touching the "Boost Post" button on Facebook App.

Wachiwit // Shutterstock

#3. Marketing platforms

– Share of small businesses utilizing this platform type: 41%

Digital marketing opens up new possibilities for small businesses to reach prospective customers. Tools like Google Ads and Facebook Boost give businesses the ability to run targeted marketing campaigns that rely on demographic data and are tailored to the company’s goals. This removes the burden on business owners to guess who their best customers are and how to reach them. Incorporating technology in marketing also results in detailed insights on who responds to each ad and what problems they’re trying to solve, which can inform future marketing efforts. Many digital marketing tools are relatively cheap compared to large print ads or billboards.

QuickBooks software displayed on laptop.

Thamyris Salgueiro // Shutterstock

#2. Accounting software

– Share of small businesses utilizing this platform type: 56%

Accounting software like QuickBooks and NetSuite gives small businesses the capacity to perform essential accounting and financial management functions. These tools create systems for sending invoices, tracking revenue and expenses, processing e-commerce, and running payroll, among other features. Without incorporating technology for these functions, businesses would need to hire staff specialized in bookkeeping, IT, and tax policy—a much more expensive proposition than paying for software. Technology also allows for the automation of certain accounting functions, like sending reminders for unpaid invoices or subscription billing. Another potential benefit is the ability to integrate accounting information with long-term planning that incorporates projections for supply chain and production.

Close-up of a person with mobile phone taking photo of cupcake.

TZIDO SUN // Shutterstock

#1. Social media accounts

– Share of small businesses utilizing this platform type: 66%

The most common form of technology used by small businesses is social media. Tied closely to marketing platforms, social media allows businesses to communicate directly with customers and prospective customers. For businesses, social media fosters a sense of community, builds trust in a brand, and grows demand for products or services. Some of the most popular social media platforms are Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Each platform has a unique user demographic and content presentation style, so businesses can choose a social media platform that allows them to connect with their customer base.

Data reporting by Paxtyn Merten. Story editing by Jeff Inglis. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.

This story originally appeared on Nextiva and was produced and
distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.

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The top patent earner in each state last year

Published

5 days ago

on

May 25, 2023

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Who's the brainiest inventor in your state? ClickUp used data from the Patent and Trademark Office to find the top patent earner in each state.
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Tech and engineering firms were the most inventive patent winners across the U.S. last year—a year marked by growing tension with foreign nations racing to bring world-changing tech like artificial intelligence and space satellites to market.

Nearly 160,000 patents were assigned across the U.S. in 2022, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. When a patent is awarded through the USPTO, the individual or company that it’s given to has the license to a temporary monopoly on business for that specific product or service. Companies have used patent law for decades to defend their intellectual property including designs and devices against competitors that might attempt to profit off of stolen ideas.

ClickUp used data from the Patent and Trademark Office to find the top patent earner in each state based on the number of patents assigned in fiscal year 2022, which ran from Oct. 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2022, for the patent office.

The data looks at the assignees for both regular utility and design patents and was limited to assignees that received at least 10 patents within the year. There were no assignees that met these criteria in Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, or West Virginia.

Private spending on research and development by U.S. companies has skyrocketed since the economic downturn of the late 2000s. In 2020, it was estimated to total $531 billion, according to the latest available data from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics.

In 2022, nine colleges and universities rose to the top in their respective states for patent filing, including the prestigious Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. The vast majority of top patent earners last year were private organizations.

Read on to see who scooped up the rights to the most cutting-edge tech in your state last year.

University of Alabama building.

University of College // Shutterstock

Alabama

– Top patent earner: The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
– Patents issued, 2022: 29 (53.7% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 3

The University of Alabama earns the majority of patents in the state, according to USPTO data. In 2022 the university patents included technology for a method to convert a traditional lawn mower into an automated one.

Entrance sign to the campus of Arizona State University.

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

Arizona

– Top patent earner: Arizona Board of Regents for and on behalf of Arizona State University
– Patents issued, 2022: 179 (26.7% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 15

The Arizona Board of Regents earned patents in 2022 for a number of biological and technological breakthroughs, one of which is described as a “skin-like condom” that contains active ingredients for stimulating male and female arousal.

View of the Walmart Home Office corporate headquarters located in Bentonville, Arkansas.

EQRoy // Shutterstock

Arkansas

– Top patent earner: Walmart Apollo LLC
– Patents issued, 2022: 169 (93.9% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 2

Bentonville-headquartered Walmart operates an intellectual property-focused LLC called Walmart Apollo, which has sued competitors in the past, including Kanye West, to protect Walmart property. In 2022 it earned patents centering around automated warehouse management and machine learning.

Qualcomm logo is seen at its headquarters in San Diego, California.

Tada Images // Shutterstock

California

– Top patent earner: Qualcomm Technologies Inc.
– Patents issued, 2022: 2267 (10.1% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 299

Qualcomm earned patents in 2022 for technology that could recognize activities taking place in videos, and for annotating images of hands to better train machine learning algorithms. Early artificial intelligence models are notoriously inept at visualizing hands.

A DISH HD Network satellite TV receiver mounted on a residential home roof.

Around the World Photos // Shutterstock

Colorado

– Top patent earner: Dish Network Corp.
– Patents issued, 2022: 106 (15.3% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 28

Dish Network Corp. earned patents in 2022 for technologies to automate parts of the video editing process and methods for using voice to control media devices.

Raytheon Technologies exhibitor pavilion.

Arnold O. A. Pinto // Shutterstock

Connecticut

– Top patent earner: Raytheon Technologies Corp.
– Patents issued, 2022: 379 (35.2% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 23

Defense contractor Raytheon has earned patents for manufacturing aircraft parts including engines as well as onboard vehicle data systems. The contractor designs and builds aircraft and aerospace equipment for commercial and military use.

Combine harvester on a wheat field.

Scharfsinn // Shutterstock

Delaware

– Top patent earner: Blue Leaf
– Patents issued, 2022: 258 (29.9% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 18

Agricultural equipment manufacturer CNH Industrial America was granted a number of patents by the USPTO in 2022 which it transferred to a firm named Blue Leaf I.P. These patents include tech for augers, balers, and other agricultural machinery.

Attendee uses augmented reality (AR) glasses in a simulation at a Magic Leap booth.

David Becker // Getty Images

Florida

– Top patent earner: Magic Leap Inc.
– Patents issued, 2022: 275 (21.5% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 31

Founded in 2010, Magic Leap is a company developing augmented reality technology, which overlays digital content onto the real world. In 2022 it earned patents for mixed reality systems that can display 3D content in real-time.

AT&T sign and logo on the building in Atlanta, Georgia.

JHVEPhoto // Shutterstock

Georgia

– Top patent earner: AT&T
– Patents issued, 2022: 527 (37.3% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 29

Telecom giant AT&T is one of the most prolific patent earners in the nation. It earned patents in 2022 for edge computing and for automated assistants that are capable of delegating tasks dictated by the user.

Micron Technology building in Boise.

Charles Knowles // Shutterstock

Idaho

– Top patent earner: Micron Technology Inc.
– Patents issued, 2022: 1097 (97.6% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 3

Micron was issued patents at a rate of more than three per day in 2022. They include patents for technologies connected to semiconductor chips and other computer processing devices.

The Boeing Company sign on the wall at its headquarters in Chicago.

JHVEPhoto // Shutterstock

Illinois

– Top patent earner: The Boeing Co.
– Patents issued, 2022: 544 (19.4% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 48

Aerospace manufacturer Boeing obtained patents in 2022 for radar imaging system capabilities and improvements for aircraft parts like a noise-reducing landing gear technology.

Purdue Technology Center sign.

Jonathan Weiss // Shutterstock

Indiana

– Top patent earner: Purdue Research Foundation
– Patents issued, 2022: 151 (14.6% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 21

Purdue Research Foundation earned patents for tech involved in glaucoma therapy and virtual reality. The foundation operates as the research arm of Purdue University.

Pioneer seed sign and trademark logo in field of corn.

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

Iowa

– Top patent earner: Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc.
– Patents issued, 2022: 174 (34.2% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 7

Pioneer is a DuPont-affiliated, U.S.-based producer of genetically modified organisms used in agriculture. In 2022 the firm earned patents for novel insecticides, methods for identifying and creating rot-resistant crops, and novel breeds of corn crops.

Sign for T-Mobile on outside of building.

Jon Kraft // Shutterstock

Kansas

– Top patent earner: T-Mobile Innovations LLC
– Patents issued, 2022: 79 (36.7% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 8

In Kansas, T-Mobile has earned patents for new technologies that could apply to its 5G cell network and device security.

Lexmark ink cartridges in a box.

Robert and Monika // Shutterstock

Kentucky

– Top patent earner: Lexmark International Inc.
– Patents issued, 2022: 23 (29.1% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 5

Lexmark, a major producer of printer equipment, tops the list of patent earners in this state. The company earned patents for imaging technology and toner cartridges.

LSU (Louisiana State University) golden letters on a sign.

University of College // Shutterstock

Louisiana

– Top patent earner: Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
– Patents issued, 2022: 16 (100.0% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 1

Louisiana State University earned patents in 2022 for waterproof, self-powered lighting systems for plant life and methods for treating pain in patients.

Johns Hopkins University sign, entrance with American flag.

Kristi Blokhin // Shutterstock

Maryland

– Top patent earner: The Johns Hopkins University
– Patents issued, 2022: 111 (22.2% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 14

The world-famous Johns Hopkins University spent 2022 earning patents for tech to assist with treating brain injuries and a cardiac defibrillator that is compatible with MRI machines.

Dell EMC logo, sign on computer data storage company office.

Michael Vi // Shutterstock

Massachusetts

– Top patent earner: EMC IP Holding Company LLC
– Patents issued, 2022: 734 (19.2% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 75

Commercial electronics firm EMC IP earned patents in 2022 for processes that automate data recovery following a ransomware attack as well as tech that combines the computing of multiple devices to complete a single, joint activity. The firm is the intellectual property arm of multinational tech company Dell.

The Ford Motor Company World Headquarters building located in Dearborn.

Katherine Welles // Shutterstock

Michigan

– Top patent earner: Ford Motor Co.
– Patents issued, 2022: 815 (26.8% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 39

Ford and other American automakers have spent recent years developing their own proprietary technologies related to electric vehicles. Henry Ford’s namesake was earning patents surrounding fuel cell assembly and other aspects of electrified mobility in 2022.

The 3M World Headquarters complex.

Katherine Welles // Shutterstock

Minnesota

– Top patent earner: 3M Innovative Properties Co.
– Patents issued, 2022: 410 (23.1% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 32

Minnesota-based 3M is the company behind a number of plastic-based products used every day in American homes. In 2022 it earned patents for pads to compress sore joints and even a device that recognizes gunshots and electronically protects users’ ears from damaging sound levels.

Monsanto sign at entrance to global research headquarters.

Amy Kerkemeyer // Shutterstock

Missouri

– Top patent earner: Monsanto Technology LLC
– Patents issued, 2022: 298 (49.7% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 10

Genetically modified crop producer and pesticide manufacturer Monsanto was assigned patents for new varieties of soybean crops and methods for controlling insect infestations in plants.

Snowflake symbol and logo at the company corporate headquarters.

Sundry Photography // Shutterstock

Montana

– Top patent earner: Snowflake Inc.
– Patents issued, 2022: 104 (100.0% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 1

Cloud provider Snowflake earned patents in 2022 for real-time streaming of data and ways to secure shared machine learning in databases in the cloud.

Nebraska university logo on campus building.

University of College // Shutterstock

Nebraska

– Top patent earner: Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska
– Patents issued, 2022: 25 (32.5% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 5

At the University of Nebraska, researchers earned patents for tech advancements related to assessing diabetes risk, gene therapies, and tamper-proof medicine containers.

Rows of Casino Slot Machines.

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

Nevada

– Top patent earner: IGT
– Patents issued, 2022: 69 (38.8% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 5

IGT is a provider of technology to casinos and establishments operating in the gambling industry. In the past, the company has patented tech surrounding cashless betting and slot machines.

Segway on green grass.

Vodopyanov Vyacheslav // Shutterstock

New Hampshire

– Top patent earner: DEKA Products LP
– Patents issued, 2022: 79 (25.0% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 10

DEKA works in robotics and device manufacturing for those with disabilities and other health conditions as well as products like Segway and the Coca-Cola Freestyle drink machines. In 2022 it earned patents for object tracking via RFID systems as well as technology for dispensing products from a machine.

Honeywell headquarters in New Jersey.

JHVEPhoto // Shutterstock

New Jersey

– Top patent earner: Honeywell International Inc.
– Patents issued, 2022: 324 (20.7% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 31

Honeywell is an engineering firm that operates in aerospace, materials, and productivity solutions. The firm has patented tech in 2022 that uses augmented reality for installing devices.

Tiny robot at Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM.

Randy Montoya // Getty Images

New Mexico

– Top patent earner: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia LLC
– Patents issued, 2022: 76 (59.8% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 3

National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia is an arm of the Sandia National Laboratories—an entity that operates as part of the country’s federal nuclear science program. It earned patents in 2022 for real-time tracking of pathogens and tech related to controlled explosives.

The IBM logo on the IBM Building at 590 Madison Avenue.

Molly Woodward // Shutterstock

New York

– Top patent earner: International Business Machines Corp.
– Patents issued, 2022: 2512 (47.0% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 66

Better known as IBM, the New York-based company is assigned a gargantuan volume of patents each year. In 2022 it earned patents for data center storage methods and advancements applied to blockchain technology, among other things.

The logo of Bank of America in modern office building.

Tero Vesalainen // Shutterstock

North Carolina

– Top patent earner: Bank of America Corp.
– Patents issued, 2022: 294 (18.1% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 33

Bank of America earned patents in 2022 for machine learning applications within banking, including for recognizing and analyzing documents, among other advances.

First-person view of tractor streering wheel.

Scharfsinn // Shutterstock

North Dakota

– Top patent earner: Clark Equipment Co.
– Patents issued, 2022: 16 (100.0% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 1

Clark Equipment is a storied manufacturing firm that operates in the agricultural and construction equipment industries. It patented tech for fuel valves and steering mechanisms in commercial tractors.

Procter & Gamble Corporate Headquarters.

Jonathan Weiss // Shutterstock

Ohio

– Top patent earner: The Procter & Gamble Co.
– Patents issued, 2022: 296 (22.2% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 40

Hygiene product maker Procter & Gamble patented new tech related to toilet paper products and liquid cleaning detergents.

OSU Lettering on brick column on the Oklahoma State University Campus.

Chad Robertson Media // Shutterstock

Oklahoma

– Top patent earner: The Board of Regents for Oklahoma State University
– Patents issued, 2022: 19 (63.3% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 2

There are not many patent filers in the state of Oklahoma, but the Stillwater-based state university earned the most in 2022. Those patents included tech for visualizing body tissues for surgeries as well as for vaccines.

Corporate office buildings at Nike World Headquarters.

Tada Images // Shutterstock

Oregon

– Top patent earner: Nike Inc.
– Patents issued, 2022: 894 (83.8% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 10

Athletic-wear brand Nike patents each of its shoe designs with the USPTO to stave off competition duplicating its designs. Despite the designer’s passing in 2021, the firm is still receiving patents for shoes attributed to Virgil Abloh as recently as 2022.

Branch sign for Comcast Cable.

Joshua Rainey Photography // Shutterstock

Pennsylvania

– Top patent earner: Comcast Cable Communications
– Patents issued, 2022: 297 (24.0% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 34

Comcast earned patents last year for tech to process data across wireless communications and video compression methods. Comcast is a cable television provider as well as the owner of NBC Universal.

An upward view of the exterior of the Textron World Headquarters building.

Wirestock Creators // Shutterstock

Rhode Island

– Top patent earner: Textron Inc.
– Patents issued, 2022: 191 (82.7% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 4

Textron is a manufacturing firm making defense and aerospace products. Its portfolio companies include Bell Helicopter. It obtained patents in 2022 related to aircraft rotors and other technologies.

Kyocera International headquarters sign.

JHVEPhoto // Shutterstock

South Carolina

– Top patent earner: Kyocera Corp.
– Patents issued, 2022: 35 (23.8% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 8

Electronics manufacturer Kyocera won patents in 2022 for semiconductor, RFID, and sleep-tracking technologies.

View of University of South Dakota Sioux Falls.

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

South Dakota

– Top patent earner: South Dakota Board of Regents
– Patents issued, 2022: 10 (100.0% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 1

The South Dakota Board of Regents governs the University of South Dakota and other colleges and universities in the state. It won patents last year for technologies related to battery performance and nanoparticles.

Smith & Nephew company logo sign.

Peter_Fleming // Shutterstock

Tennessee

– Top patent earner: Smith & Nephew Inc.
– Patents issued, 2022: 73 (21.9% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 10

Medical technology firm Smith & Nephew patented technology in 2022 for medical implants and a device for closing wounds.

Closeup of Hewlett-Packard Enterprise ground sign at their office building.

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Texas

– Top patent earner: Hewlett-Packard Development
– Patents issued, 2022: 1558 (25.4% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 71

Hewlett-Packard’s research arm patented tech related to 3D printing, a self-cooling headset, and tools for identifying malware.

The University of Utah entrance sign.

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Utah

– Top patent earner: University of Utah Research Foundation
– Patents issued, 2022: 38 (19.7% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 11

The University of Utah Research Foundation won patents in 2022 for bone implant technology and a magnet-propelled “soft” robot capable of traveling through the human body.

An all-electric aircraft in flight.

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Vermont

– Top patent earner: Beta Technologies
– Patents issued, 2022: 62 (100.0% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 1

Beta Technologies is an aerospace engineering company whose patents relate to various aspects of charging and managing power in electric-driven aircraft.

Capital One sign on headquarters building.

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Virginia

– Top patent earner: Capital One Services LLC
– Patents issued, 2022: 379 (29.7% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 26

Commercial banking provider Capital One won patents for contactless card recognition tech and methods for “secure sharing of customer intelligence.”

Microsoft sign at the headquarters.

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Washington

– Top patent earner: Microsoft Corp.
– Patents issued, 2022: 1238 (39.9% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 18

Tech giant Microsoft beat out Amazon for patents earned in Washington state in 2022. It won patents on cloud computing and computer displays.

NASA sign in front of headquarters building.

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Washington D.C.

– Top patent earner: NASA
– Patents issued, 2022: 43 (21.5% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 8

NASA rises to the top in the nation’s capital in terms of patents earned last year. In 2022 it patented tech for satellite platforms, UV ray sensors, and other space equipment.

Sign of Johnson Controls on the building.

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Wisconsin

– Top patent earner: Johnson Controls
– Patents issued, 2022: 265 (23.7% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 20

Johnson Controls is a manufacturer of heating, ventilation, and cooling systems for commercial and residential customers. In 2022, the company patented tech for air ducts.

University of Wyoming campus entrance sign.

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Wyoming

– Top patent earner: University of Wyoming
– Patents issued, 2022: 10 (100.0% of all patents statewide)
– Unique patent assignees statewide, 2022: 1

The University of Wyoming patented technology for hydroponic plant production and nanoparticle delivery systems for pain therapies that leverage magnets.

This story originally appeared on ClickUp and was produced and
distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.

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