National Inventors Hall of Fame Announces Wi-Fi and Spanx Innovators Among 2026 Class
Honorees' Contributions to Society Are Centerpiece of May Event
NORTH CANTON, Ohio, Jan. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Fifteen innovation pioneers whose inventions range from sorghum hybrids to broadband communications will be honored in the 2026 class of National Inventors Hall of Fame® Inductees.
In partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the Hall of Fame will honor these Inductees on May 7 at one of the innovation industry's most highly anticipated events — "The Greatest Celebration of American Innovation®."
"America's Innovation Agency — the USPTO — is profoundly honored to recognize both the inspiration and the perspiration that are the very stories of these amazing visionaries the National Inventors Hall of Fame inducts into their 2026 class — and a very special class indeed as they will be enshrined 250 years from the birth of our nation," said John A. Squires, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. "The onrush of technology knows no bounds — and who knows what tomorrow will bring? For one, this remarkable class does because their breakthroughs and advances brought the possibility of better tomorrows just that much closer for all of us, improving our lives, fueling economic growth, creating new jobs and advancing the very American freedoms our founders declared 250 years ago. Welcome."
THE CLASS OF 2026
- Louis Argenta and Michael Morykwas: Vacuum Assisted Closure® (V.A.C.®)
Louis Argenta and Michael Morykwas co-invented Vacuum Assisted Closure (V.A.C.), a medical device that uses controlled suction to draw excess fluid from a wound while promoting its closure. V.A.C. therapy has been used to help millions of patients worldwide by treating a wide range of difficult-to-heal wounds, from surgical wounds to diabetic ulcers and burns. - Sara Blakely: SPANX® Shapewear
Sara Blakely invented footless control top pantyhose and created the Spanx brand, which has revolutionized and become synonymous with shapewear. Founded with a $5,000 personal investment, Spanx Inc. grew into a billion-dollar company. Blakely became the youngest self-made woman billionaire and a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs. - Gebisa Ejeta: Sorghum Hybrids
Plant geneticist Gebisa Ejeta developed higher-quality sorghum hybrids that are resistant to drought and disease. By increasing the production and availability of sorghum, a versatile and important cereal grain, Ejeta's efforts have helped feed millions of people across Africa and around the world. - Teresa Meng: CMOS Wi-Fi
Teresa Meng's groundbreaking research, engineering expertise and entrepreneurial leadership revolutionized Wi-Fi, making it faster, more energy-efficient and more affordable. As the founder of Atheros Communications, she pioneered the integration of all communication functions onto a single CMOS chip, laying the technical foundation that drove the widespread adoption of Wi-Fi. - Henry Samueli: Broadband Communications
Electrical engineer Henry Samueli advanced broadband communications, creating solutions that enabled affordable, high-speed digital data transmission to homes and businesses. He is the co-founder of Broadcom Inc., a global leader in wired and wireless communications. - Feng Zhang: CRISPR Gene Editing
Feng Zhang has invented transformative technologies to improve human health, including first demonstrating the use of engineered CRISPR-Cas9 systems for genome editing in human cells. He has co-founded several companies to commercialize these technologies. - Donald Alstadt: Chemlok® Rubber-to-Metal Adhesive System (Posthumous)
Chemist Donald Alstadt invented Chemlok, a revolutionary rubber-to-metal adhesive system that is used across many industries, including the automotive, aerospace, agriculture, off-highway, defense and energy markets. Today, Chemlok and Chemlok-derived technologies are used in almost every vehicle in the world. - Olive Dennis: Railroad Passenger Car Improvements (Posthumous)
Olive Dennis, a civil engineer for the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad Co., made travel vastly more comfortable for rail passengers. Traveling tens of thousands of miles annually for nearly 30 years, Dennis applied both her expertise and her experience to develop many significant innovations for railroad passenger cars. - Frank S. Greene Jr.: Semiconductor Memory Technology (Posthumous)
Frank S. Greene Jr. was a pioneering electrical engineer, inventor and entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. He developed high-speed semiconductor memory systems, including the fastest microchip then available for the ILLIAC IV supercomputer. Recognizing the need for greater participation in STEM fields, Greene also was dedicated to mentoring the next generation. - Maurus Logan: Ty-Rap® Cable Ties (Posthumous)
Electrical engineer Maurus Logan invented cable ties to address worker safety and wiring installation inefficiencies in the aviation industry. Now a billion-dollar market segment, cable ties, also known as zip ties, are used in a wide variety of industries and projects, from aerospace to agriculture to DIY home improvement. - George Maison, Irving Porush and Charles Thiel: Metered Dose Inhaler (MDI) (Posthumous)
George Maison, Irving Porush and Charles Thiel invented the pressurized metered dose inhaler (MDI). Introduced in 1956 to manage asthma, it was the first portable inhaler that effectively delivered medicine to the lungs. The MDI has saved lives and improved the quality of life for hundreds of millions of patients. - Reuben Trane: Lightweight Convector Radiator (Posthumous)
Mechanical engineer Reuben Trane began making advancements to heating and cooling technologies early in the 20th century, providing reliable comfort for homes and commercial buildings around the world. With his innovations and business leadership, The Trane Co. became an industry giant. Over a century later, the brand remains a leader.
For biographies of each Inductee, visit https://www.invent.org/inductees/new-inductees.
THE CELEBRATION
The 15 Inductees in the class of 2026 will be honored at "The Greatest Celebration of American Innovation," held in our nation's capital. Danica McKellar — New York Times bestselling author, mathematician, television producer and actress well known as "Winnie Cooper" from TV classic "The Wonder Years" and now for her enormously popular holiday movies — will serve as master of ceremonies.
- May 6 – Illumination Ceremony at the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum at the USPTO Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, where new Inductees will place their names on illuminated hexagons in the museum's Gallery of Icons®.
- May 7 – The 2026 National Inventors Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held at The Anthem in Washington, D.C., where the new Inductee class will be honored for its contributions to society during an evening event including a black-tie dinner and ceremony. To learn more about the event, visit https://www.invent.org/induction.
"The National Inventors Hall of Fame is committed to illuminating the legacies of world-changing inventors and creating opportunities for the next generation to learn from these innovative role models," said Monica Jones, Chief Executive Officer of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. "The inventors in our 2026 class have made contributions in fields as varied as semiconductor technology and portable inhalers. Induction into the Hall of Fame honors the significance of these advances, which have enhanced our daily lives and well-being."
The 2026 National Inventors Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is sponsored by the USPTO; The Amos E. Joel Young Inventors Fund; Anaheim Ducks; Fossum Family Young Inventors Fund; Kindeva®; Parker Lord; PhRMA; Richard W. Pogue; Samueli Foundation; Trane; University of California, Irvine Samueli School of Engineering; and University of California, Los Angeles Samueli School of Engineering.
About the National Inventors Hall of Fame
The National Inventors Hall of Fame is the premier nonprofit organization in America dedicated to recognizing inventors and invention, promoting creativity, and advancing the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. Founded in 1973 in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Hall of Fame is committed to not only honoring the individuals whose inventions have made the world a better place, but to ensuring American ingenuity continues to thrive in the hands of coming generations through its national, hands-on educational programming and collegiate competitions focused on the exploration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. For more information, visit invent.org. To nominate an inventor for Induction, visit invent.org/nominate.
CONTACT:
Ken Torisky
National Inventors Hall of Fame
[email protected]
234-901-6085
SOURCE National Inventors Hall of Fame
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