Let's talk about Colorado inventions for a second here. And no, I don't mean South Park. I'm talking about life-changing or culturally iconic inventions. Can you name any? How about 20? Discover Colorado's most unique, fun, and helpful inventions here!

But first, a fun fact: Colorado is one of the states with the most inventive people. What does that even mean, you ask? According to data from the project management website ClickUp, Colorado has produced a tidy sum of the U.S.'s patents in recent years. Patents equal inventions - without a patent, someone can hijack your invention for their own.

Patent: "An exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides, in general, a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem." (World Intellectual Property Organization)

In 2022, Coloradoans filed 7.25 patents per 10,000 residents and 4,236 new patents—that's 4,236 new inventions filed with the U.S. government! ClickUp ranked Colorado 10th for patent creation, and USA News ranked the Centennial state 9th. That's not too shabby when squaring off against population powerhouses like California.

Based on those numbers, it's safe to say that Colorado has some pretty intelligent people living within its borders. But what exactly have those folks patented in Colorado? What inventions call the Centennial State home? Let's take a look:

15+ Inventions with Surprising Connections to Colorado

Colorado lays claim to numerous inventions we use and see every day. How many of these did you know had ties to the Centennial State?

Gallery Credit: Phylicia Peterson

It's amazing to see how many inventions come out of Colorado. With top-notch universities like Colorado University, Denver University, and CSU around, we should expect more unique inventions to come from the Centennial State and its people.

Want to learn more about patenting an invention? Visit the U.S. Patents & Trademark Office website at https://uspto.gov or click here.

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