The Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City has a new study that uses international patent applications as a measure of a state’s climate for innovation. By using submissions under the international Patent Cooperation Treaty rather than just measuring U.S. patents, Kauffman says it captures “some of the  most sophisticated inventions originating in this country.”

Missouri ranks 32nd among the states, with 14.5 patent applications last year per 100,000 workers. In 1998, it ranked 27th.

Illinois had 29.6 applications per 100,000 workers, which was good for 17th place. That’s up from 21st in 1998.

As a country, the U.S. has a solid lead but the rest of the world is beginning to catch up. The study says:

The U.S. share of PCT applications has decreased from 37.4 percent to 34.1 percent in the last four years alone. While the absolute number of U.S. applications has increased, other countries — particularly in the developing world — have seen more substantial growth.