Foreign-Born Inventors Now Account for 41% of US Patents

Share of patents from US companies with a foreign-born, US-based inventor, by industry. Software, e-commerce, and semiconductor industries show the highest reliance on foreign-born inventors, each above 45%.

Immigrant inventors' share of US patents has climbed from 34% to 41% over the past decade

Share of patents from US companies with a foreign-born, US-based inventor, by industry. Software, e-commerce, and semiconductor industries show the highest reliance on foreign-born inventors, each above 45%. Source: Revelio Labs.
Figure 3. Share of patents from US companies with a foreign-born, US-based inventor, by industry. Software, e-commerce, and semiconductor industries show the highest reliance on foreign-born inventors, each above 45%. Source: Revelio Labs, July 2025

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