By Governor Sam Brownback

Recently, the US Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center commissioned a study on the economic impacts of intellectual property (IP) on jobs across America. The findings may come as a surprise to many people around the country, but they certainly won’t shock anyone here in the Sunflower State.

According to the study, available at www.IPcreatesjobs.com, Kansas ranked 1st in the nation in the overall percentage of private sector jobs supported by intellectual property. That’s 603,923 jobs – more than 50% of the private sector workforce in Kansas – that are supported either directly or indirectly by IP industries.

Eat your heart out California; Kansas is the new home for innovation in America.

Of our state’s $11.5 billion in annual exports, IP-intensive industries constitute $8.6 billion – or nearly 75% – creating 89,516 jobs. What’s more, IP-concentrated businesses pay Kansans an average of 35% higher than non-IP businesses: $49,181 per average IP wage vs. $36,039 per average private sector employee. IP-related goods and services constitute $51.1 billion in economic output, or nearly 51% of our state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). To see the Kansas breakdown, please click here.

Intellectual property is good for business, good for workers, and good for Kansas.

In the information economy that will dominate the global marketplace of the 21st Century, ideas will be the common currency and innovation will crown economic winners. As Governor, I am determined to keep Kansas at the top of the heap, as a leader in innovation, constantly driving the marketplace forward.

To do so, and to ensure we protect the intellectual property of Kansas companies doing business overseas, we must accomplish three key goals:

• Educate policy makers and business leaders of the economic value and impact IP has on the global economy.
• Strengthen the protection and enforcement mechanisms of IP rights both here in the United States and abroad.
• Ensure that international organizations include strong IP enforcement regimes so Kansas workers can see the fruits of their labor.

I am proud to serve as Governor of the great State of Kansas. I have always known Kansans to be an innovative, industrious and inspiring bunch. It’s great we have the hard numbers to prove it.