National Academy of Inventors
About the National Academy of Inventors.
About NAI
The National Academy of Inventors® is a member organization comprising U.S. and international universities, and governmental and non-profit research institutes, with over 4,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 250 institutions worldwide.
The NAI publishes the multidisciplinary journal Technology and Innovation, Journal of the National Academy of Inventors®.
Membership with the NAI is available through local university and non-profit research institute chapters only. To join your university or non-profit research institute’s chapter, you must be a member of your institution’s academic community (includes faculty, staff, alumni and affiliates) and have a patent issued from the USPTO.
Universities and non-profit research institutes are invited to Establish a Local Chapter of the NAI, to recognize and encourage their community of inventors.
Mission and Goals of NAI
The NAI was founded in 2010 to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students, and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society.
NAI Fellows
The NAI Fellows Program was established to highlight academic inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society. Election to NAI Fellow status is the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors.
The NAI Fellow program has 1,403 Fellows worldwide representing more than 250 prestigious universities and governmental and non-profit research institutes. Collectively, the Fellows hold more than 42,700 issued U.S. patents, which have generated over 13,000 licensed technologies, 3,200 companies and created more than 1 million jobs. In addition, over $3 trillion in revenue has been generated based on NAI Fellow discoveries.
Among all NAI Fellows, there are 165 presidents and senior leaders of research universities, governmental and non-profit research institutes; about 600 members of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine; 45 inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame; 63 recipients of the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation and U.S. National Medal of Science; and 42 Nobel Laureates, among other awards and distinctions.
NAI Sr Members
NAI Senior Members are active faculty, scientists, and administrators with success in patents, licensing, and commercialization and have produced technologies that have brought or aspire to bring, real impact on the welfare of society. They are rising stars who foster a spirit of innovation within their communities and institutions while educating and mentoring the next generation of inventors. Senior Membership is exclusively available to inventors affiliated with an NAI Member Institution.
Benefits of Senior Membership
- National recognition for achievements and discoveries
- Connectivity to the premier global network of the top academic innovators and inventors
- Publishing discount for NAI’s multi-disciplinary journal Technology & Innovation