Spain stands out in Innovation: historical maximum in European patent applications in 2023

The European Patent Office (EPO) has published the statistical data corresponding to the “Patent Index 2023”, which shows the number of European patent applications filed al the EPO during the past year.

In 2023, companies and inventors from all over the world, 2.9% filed 199,275 applications more than in 2022. In the case of Spain, 2,111 European patent applications have been filed in 2023. Universities and public research centres are the main drivers of these applications in Spain, although there are also Spanish private companies among the top positions in 2023.

In terms of regional distribution, Catalonia is positioned at the top of the ranking, setting a milestone by registering the highest number of patent applications, with the Community of Madrid in second place.

In terms of sectorial distribution, the pharmaceutical sector is the leading sector for patent applications in Europe, followed by machinery, appliances and electrical energy sector, which includes clean energy technologies such as batteries, and thirdly, the biotechnology sector.

It is important to highlight the role of women in innovation, as Spain stands out in Europe with an impressive 46% of patent applications including at least one female inventor. According to this year’s Patent Index, Spain leads the gender statistics among countries with more than 2,000 applications per year, far exceeding the EPO Member State’s average of 27%.

Over the past 10 years, Spain has experienced the highest growth in annual European patent applications among the top European countries, with a 43% increase since 2014. This reflects a solid investment in innovation and positions Spain as a leader in inventions in Europe.

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