Chamber Study Highlights Missouri’s Innovative Contributions
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) today released a report highlighting Missouri’s contributions to America’s innovation economy. This study is part of GIPC’s State Fact Sheets, which provide a look at the roles innovation and creativity play in each state. The report highlights local companies and facts demonstrating how innovation and creativity—which are safeguarded by strong IP rights—serve as a driving force behind economic recovery and future growth.
“Innovation and creativity are vital to Missouri’s economy,” said Dr. Mark Esper, executive vice president of the Chamber’s GIPC. Kansas City was named one of only three U.S. cities on the Fast Company’s 2008 Fast Cities for Innovation report. In 2007 alone, Missourians received 861 patents. Additionally, Kansas City is home to more than 120 bioscience companies.
Esper noted examples of innovation and creativity in Missouri. Missouri is ranked 8th in the nation for research and development employment, and internet sales employment.Additionally, Missouri employs more than 2,200 people in the software industry that earn nearly $170 million in wages.
“Indeed, Missourians are proven innovators,” said Esper. Missouri native, Samuel Clemmons, better known as Mark Twain, wrote the first Great American Novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The TUMS® antacid was invented in the St. Louis basement laboratory of pharmacist Jim Hoye in 1928. “America has a unique story to tell, and Missouri plays a large role in this story. Innovation and creativity are essential to economic growth and human advancement, and Missouri’s IP contributions reflect this.”
The Missouri State Fact Sheet is intended to be a resource for legislators, policymakers, and the public to identify successful companies, inventors, creative artists, and innovators to better understand the role they play in our economy and society. As part of an easy-to-use, interactive map, the State Fact Sheet project can be accessed online at www.theglobalipcenter.com, as well as in a printable format.
The Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center is working around the world to champion intellectual property (IP) as vital to creating jobs, saving lives, advancing global economic growth, and generating breakthrough solutions to global challenges.
The U.S. Chamber is the world’s largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.
