Prior to the Patent Act of 1790, only men were permitted to author patents. In the centuries that have followed, the door has been opened for women to legally take credit for their innovations. Even so, women in America trail behind men in terms of patent holding.
According to a study done by Yale earlier this month, only 10% of US patent holders are women.
Even though the amount of doctoral degrees awarded by US institutions is split evenly between men and women, a deep disparity exists between the two when it comes to patent grants.
The theme of this year’s World Intellectual Property Day is ‘Powering change: Women in innovation and creativity’. To honor the continuing contributions of women to the world of IP, we at ktMINE have aggregated a list of the top female United States patent holders in our home state of Illinois.
Top 10 Female Patent Holders in Illinois
| Patent Holder | # of Patents |
| Lori Greiner | 82 |
| Stacy Alycia Thomas | 56 |
| Jill Maine | 45 |
| Susanne Marie Crockett | 36 |
| Mary Beth Adams | 35 |
| Emilie Williams Romero | 26 |
| Gayle Roberta Ekstrom | 20 |
| Donna Abadinsky | 17 |
| Margaret McCurry | 17 |
| Mercedita Andrew | 17 |
At the top of the list sits Lori Greiner, the entrepreneur made famous for her television appearances on QVC and Shark Tank. Some of Greiner’s patent filings include “US2014217867A1- Swivel Organizer” and “US7905426B1- Fragrance Emitting Snow Globe”. Greiner’s patents fall largely into the consumer goods category, many of which are specifically aimed at women. Also on the list is Mercedita Andrew, an industrial designer who owns patents such as “USD628681S1- Tub Enclosure” and “USD631530S1- Fluid Control Handle”.
While these ten women have developed over 300 patents collectively, only three break the overall list of the top twenty patent holders in Illinois. On this World Intellectual Property Day, we at ktMINE want to acknowledge the success of our local female inventors and look forward to the future of female innovation in the United States. Happy World IP day!
