Innovation took center stage in Washington this month as members of the 2025 Class of Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) were formally recognized in the Congressional Record on February 11, in observance of National Inventors Day. The recognition, submitted by U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (FL-14), places the achievements of 185 distinguished inventors from universities, research institutions, and government laboratories into the permanent legislative history of the United States. The Congressional Record serves as the official archive of congressional proceedings, preserving moments of national importance for generations to come. For Tampa-based NAI, the recognition underscores both the national reach of its Fellows and the organization’s growing influence within the innovation ecosystem. Honoring Inventors Driving Economic Growth The 2025 Class of Fellows includes 169 U.S.-based inventors and 16 International Fellows representing 127 universities, government agencies, and research institutions across 40 states. Collectively, the cohort holds more than 5,300 U.S. patents. Among the class are Nobel laureates, recipients of the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology & Innovation, and members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. “Innovation and invention are the building blocks of our nation, and I thank entrepreneurs for their work with me to press Congress to preserve critical federal initiatives to advance innovation, spur economic growth, and support our community,” Castor said in her formal statement. “By recognizing the 2025 Class of Fellows in the Congressional Record, we honor the scientists, engineers, and researchers whose work drives economic growth, improves lives, and secures our nation’s leadership in the global innovation economy.” The Highest Honor for Academic Inventors Election to NAI Fellowship is considered the highest professional distinction awarded solely to academic inventors. Since its founding in 2010, NAI has elected more than 2,200 Fellows who collectively hold over 86,000 U.S. patents and 20,000 licensed technologies. The economic impact is substantial. Innovations from NAI Fellows have generated an estimated $3.8 trillion in revenue and supported more than 1.4 million jobs. “Recognition in the Congressional Record is a meaningful acknowledgment of the impact our Fellows have on society,” said Dr. Paul R. Sanberg, Founder and President of the National Academy of Inventors. “It highlights the importance of academic inventors in driving technological progress, economic growth, and real-world solutions to global challenges.” A Tampa-Based Organization with National Impact Founded in 2010 at the University of South Florida and headquartered in Tampa, NAI is recognized as the fourth modern national academy in the United States. The organization brings together leading inventors from universities, research institutions, research hospitals, and national and government laboratories across science, engineering, and medicine to promote innovation, commercialization, and economic growth. By elevating academic inventors and supporting the translation of research into practical applications, NAI plays a key role in strengthening the nation’s innovation infrastructure, from university laboratories to startup ecosystems and industry partnerships. Members of the 2025 Class of Fellows will be formally honored at the NAI 15th Annual Conference on June 4, 2026, in Los Angeles, where they will receive their medals from a senior official of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. As the achievements of this year’s Fellows are now preserved in the Congressional Record, the recognition signals not only individual excellence, but also the enduring importance of invention in shaping the nation’s economic and technological future. #Tampa #TampaBay #StPete #Clearwater #ThingsToDo #LocalEvents #Networking #TampaBayConnects #TampaNetworking #WomenInBusiness #TampaEntrepreneurs #Startups #TampaEats #TampaNightlife #DowntownTampa #TampaEvents #TampaSocials #tampaMagazine #TampaBayMagazine TampaBusinessClub.com Tampabayconnects.com WomenImpactNetwork.com TampaBayLatinChamber.com InGateConsulting.com Tampa Bay Connects is a community discovery and media platform. We do not organize, host, manage, or operate the events featured on this site. All events, trademarks, logos, photographs, and promotional materials are the property of their respective owners and are displayed for informational and promotional purposes only. 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