Publication of the report "The SPTO in figures 2022"

In order to know where we are going, it is necessary to know where we have come from. With this spirit and concern, we are publishing our annual report "The SPTO in figures".

This report contains data and figures on patents, utility models, trademarks, trade names, designs and Patent Technology Reports (PTR), relating to the year 2022, which we have obtained from the SPTO databases, the European Patent Office (EPO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

Patents

The number of national patent applications in 2022, was 1,231 compared to 1,361 filed in 2021, showing a decrease of 9.6%, compared to the previous year.

As in the previous year, the Autonomous Communities that lead the ranking of applications filed by residents are the Community of Madrid with the highest activity in patent applications (21.7% of the total number of applications filed by residents), followed by the Community of Valencia (15.8%), Catalonia (14.4%) and Andalusia (13.6%).

If we look at the applicants for national patents, the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) once again ranks first in the number of national patent applications filed in Spain in 2022 (54 applications). Regarding this data, in the list of applicants with the highest number of national patents in the year 2022, only Seat SA appears as a private company in the top 18 positions, the remaining positions being occupied by Universities and public research centers.

As for the technological sectors, the Medical Technology subsector remains in first place in 2022, although the number of patent applications has suffered a significant decrease of 12% compared to 2021. Transportation, a subsector that was in second place in 2021, falls to seventh place with a decrease in patent applications of 29.1% compared to the previous year. It is the Civil Engineering subsector that ranks second with a significant increase in applications of 80.8%. 

As a novelty in this report, statistics relating to women inventors have been included for the first time. Among all national patent applications filed in 2022, the overall percentage of female inventors was 22.5%.

If we look at the applicants for national patents, the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) once again ranks first in the number of national patent applications filed in Spain in 2022 (54 applications). Regarding this data, in the list of applicants with the highest number of national patents in the year 2022, only Seat SA appears as a private company in the top 18 positions, the remaining positions being occupied by Universities and public research centers.

As for the technological sectors, the Medical Technology subsector remains in first place in 2022, although the number of patent applications has suffered a significant decrease of 12% compared to 2021. Transportation, a subsector that was in second place in 2021, falls to seventh place with a decrease in patent applications of 29.1% compared to the previous year. It is the Civil Engineering subsector that ranks second with a significant increase in applications of 80.8%. 

As a novelty in this report, statistics relating to women inventors have been included for the first time. Among all national patent applications filed in 2022, the overall percentage of female inventors was 22.5%.

Trademarks

During 2022, a total of 45,227 trademarks were applied for (filed by residents in Spain and non-residents) at the SPTO, which represents a decrease of 12.3% with respect to the previous year.

The Autonomous Communities that showed the greatest activity in trademark applications were Madrid (23.9% of the total number of residents), Catalonia (17.3%), Andalusia (14.6%) and the Community of Valencia (10.4%), with values practically similar to those of the previous year.

As for the companies that applied for the largest number of trademarks, the first place, as in 2021, goes to Corporación de Radio y Televisión Española S.A., with 116 trademarks applied for. In second position is Grupo Audiovisual Mediaset España Comunicación, S.A.U with 44 trademark applications, and third place in the ranking this year goes to Hyundai Motor Company, with 43 trademark applications.

Trade names

In 2022, a total of 12,244 national trade names were applied for at the SPTO (both by residents in Spain and by non-residents), which represents a 4.8% decrease with respect to the previous year, and the Community of Madrid, Andalusia and Catalonia continue to be positioned in the top three places with the highest number of trade name applications registered by Autonomous Communities.

Industrial designs

Regarding industrial designs, a drop in the number of applications continues to be observed. In 2022, a total of 10,924 industrial designs have been applied for at the SPTO (both by residents in Spain and by non-residents) showing a decrease of 9.8% with respect to 2021.

Industrial design applications corresponding to the Autonomous Communities show their highest number in the Community of Valencia (22.2% of the total number of applications filed by residents), Catalonia (19.3%), Community of Madrid (17.2%) and Andalusia (10.9%). These four communities account for 69.6% of all applications submitted by residents.

For the sixth consecutive year, Desigual S.L.U., with 660 designs, ranks first among national industrial design applicants in 2022.

On the other hand, the three classes of the Locarno Classification with the highest increase correspond to Articles of Clothing and Haberdashery with 3,654 designs, followed by Graphic Symbols, Logos, Decorative Motifs, Ornamentation with 2,171 and the Objects of Ornamentation class with 1,002.

International and regional applications of Spanish origin.

Data on international applications of Spanish origin filed through the PCT system, the Madrid system (international trademark), the Hague system (international design) and regional applications of Spanish origin: European Patent and European Union Trademark also show a decrease, while Community Design applications have increased with respect to the year 2021.

More information

OEPM en Cifras

Infografía