The number of university patents in Europe increasing from 6% to 10% in 20 years (EPO)

Between 2000 and 2020, the share of university patents in all European patent filings rose from 6% to over 10%, according to an EPO study published on 22/10/2024. France is the most represented country, with 215 universities filing patents, but ranks second in terms of the number of patents filed (19,265), behind Germany (25,822 patents).

The EPO study, carried out in collaboration with Fraunhofer ISI, is the first to focus on the role of universities in innovation and patenting. University patents include patents filed directly by universities, as well as those filed by third parties such as companies, but to which university researchers are attached.

The impact of European universities on the European patent system has been steadily increasing over the past two decades. More than 10% of all patents filed at the EPO by European applicants in 2019 originated in universities.

"Research carried out in universities has gained increasing attention as a lever to securing a nation’s competitiveness. However, transferring knowledge to the market often remains a challenge for universities…