Surging AI and battery technology patents as well as success for small businesses and women inventors — Europe’s latest patent data paints a dynamic picture of innovation.
The European Patent Office’s (EPO) Patent Index 2024, published this week, reveals that nearly 200,000 patent applications were filed last year, proving that Europe’s inventors are pushing forward despite economic uncertainty.
At the Euronews event, “Unlocking Europe’s potential: Competitiveness meets technological trends”, EPO’s Principal Director of Communication, Luis Berenguer Giménez introduced key insights from the Index before joining a high-level discussion with European policymakers and business experts including Member of the European Parliament (EPP), Adrián Vázquez Lázara.
With moderation from Euronews’ Romane Armangau, our panel examined how findings from the Index can help Europe navigate the evolving innovation landscape, strengthen its patent ecosystem and stay globally competitive.
Patent data: a health check on European innovation
The European Patent Office (EPO) holds Europe’s largest collection of patent data, and its annual Patent Index offers insights into how industries grow, which technologies are thriving and where the next big investment opportunities lie.
“The EPO’s patent data is a clear roadmap for industry, policy, and investment priorities,” said EPO President António Campinos in a press release. “As the Draghi and Letta reports warn, to stay competitive globally, Europe must enhance its innovation ecosystem and do more to help inventors scale up and commercialise their inventions, especially in critical areas such as green technologies, AI and semiconductors.”
Beyond highlighting macro trends in industry and innovation, patent data offers broader value for Europe. “As well as enabling protection, we can uncover information about which countries are innovating, the companies involved, as well as the names of their inventors,” Chair of BusinessEurope’s patents working group, Thierry Sueur, states. “This makes it easy to find possible collaboration.”
Some European businesses argue however that regulatory burdens continue to impact innovation. “[The Commission] is not sending the correct message to entrepreneurs and possible patent creators,” MEP Lázara warns. “Between 2010 and 2020 there were almost 500 acquisitions of European startups by third country companies. The compliance and bureaucratic burden is so great that they prefer to sell before reaching 50 employees. If we don’t change this quickly, this trend is going to continue.”
To maximise Europe’s huge public investment in research and innovation, Ioannis Sagias, European Commission DG RTD, Deputy Head Of Unit Valorisation policies and IPR adds that Europe needs to better nurture innovations to maturity. “The idea is not only to improve the research and innovation ecosystem but also to get closer to researchers and help them manage their intellectual assets as early as possible. We need to be able to keep important IP in the Union. Not only for sovereignty, but also for increasing competitiveness and boosting European industries.”
AI-related innovation picks up pace
In 2024, computer technology – including areas of AI such as machine learning and pattern recognition – was the leading field for the first time, with 16 815 patent applications filed.
Strong growth was also seen in areas including electrical machinery, apparatus and energy (+8.9% on 2023), driven by advances in clean energy technologies, particularly battery innovation (+24.0%). Meanwhile, areas such as digital communication and pharmaceuticals, both saw significant decreases.
Global patent trends: Europe maintains its position
In 2024, global patent applications remained stable (-0.1%), with four of the top five patent filing nations being non-European. The United States remained the leading source of filings, followed by Germany, Japan and China. South Korea saw the highest growth among major filing nations (+4.2%) led by Samsung, which overtook Huawei as the EPO’s leading patent applicant.
According to Gilles Requena, Chief Patent Research and Policy Officer at the EPO, this global interest highlights the attractiveness of the European market and offers insights into global industry trends.
Among these trends is the 240 per cent growth of Chinese patent applications, while South Korean applications increased by 100 per cent. Rather than being a concern for Europe, Requena suggests we “take example” of international successes, such as South Korea’s “excellent management of intellectual assets”.
Meanwhile, mature markets such as the US, Japan and Europe made steadier increases. Although no European firms ranked in the top five for the first time, nine were among the top 25 – an improvement from the previous year. In 2024, Switzerland and the UK led Europe with a growth rate of around three per cent, while Germany and France also posted small gains.
Small companies and women inventors drive innovation
Even as Europe navigates funding gaps and skill shortages, the Index shows that the continent remains a leader in startup innovation and university-led research. In 2024, nearly a quarter of European patents were filed by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), individual inventors and startups. Another 7 per cent were submitted by universities and research institutions.
This achievement follows the implementation of the European Commission’s unitary patent system which aimed at streamlining patent protection across 18 EU member states, reducing complexity and lowering the cost of access to support smaller players such as micro-enterprises and non-profits. EPO fee reductions also supported this trend, resulting in 28,000 filed requests last year; a 53 per cent rise from 2023.
“When you look at who is using this new unitary system,” Requena says, “the results are extremely positive, showing 50 per cent more representation of SMEs.” BusinessEurope’s Thierry Sueur also praised the new system’s simplicity, adding: “With the unitary patent, you now have one patent to cover 18 countries. You have one fee and, if you have to litigate, you can go to one place.”
Meanwhile, gender diversity in innovation is increasing. One in four European patent applications featured at least one woman inventor. Spain led among major filing countries with 42 per cent, followed by Belgium (32%) and France (31%).
What’s next for European innovation?
The EPO’s Patent Index serves as a key indicator of technological progress, helping shape investment and policy decisions. As Europe navigates the evolving innovation landscape, strengthening its patent ecosystem is essential for staying competitive.
Though there is work to be done to speed up innovation, improve investment and eliminate growth barriers, efforts to streamline processes and increase access are already positively impacting European industry, particularly smaller players.
Additionally, broader efforts within the European Commission, such as creation of the European Innovation Council (EIC) and ongoing funding for Horizon Europe research programme, are solidifying progress and support for European innovators to push new frontiers.
Read the full Patent Index 2024 press release on the EPO website.
