EPO Patent Index 2023

Digital & clean-energy technologies driving growth
patentindex2023
25 / 03 / 2024
Patent news

The European Patent Office (EPO) published the statistics of the European patent applications on March 20, 2024.

Consult the details: EPO Patent Index

In Europe

  • Innovation in digital and clean energy technologies drives patent demand in Europe in 2023
  • Patent applications up 2.9% compared to 2022
  • Innovation in digital and clean energy technologies
  • 27% of patent applications from Europe name at least one woman as inventor
  • Almost one in four patents is applied for by a small business
  • The top five countries of origin of patent applications: United States, Germany, Japan, China and Korea
  • Huawei, Samsung, LG, Qualcomm and Ericsson top the list of patent applicants.

In Belgium

  • Belgian healthcare innovation grown in 2023
  • Patent applications in biotechnology from Belgium increased by 28% by 2023 - the third consecutive year of significant growth
  • Belgium is the 13th country for patent applications to the European Patent Office;
  • KU Leuven largest patent applicant among European universities
  • Belgium represented three times in the top 10
  • Belgian patent holders showed strong interest in the benefits of the new unitary patent, with a utilisation rate of 31.9%.

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