Research universities and public research organisations
More than 1 200 European universities have filed patent applications at the EPO. Universities and public research organisations (PROs) play a vital role in both the European and global innovation ecosystems, yet the challenge of effectively transferring academic knowledge to industry remains a key policy question.
At the EPO Observatory, we are leveraging new methodologies and the extensive EPO databases to better understand and map the true impact of universities and PROs within the patent system and the European innovation ecosystem.
Dive in
The role of European universities in patenting and innovation – study
This study provides the first ever comprehensive overview of the role European universities play in patenting and innovation on a European scale.
Find European universities with European patent applications
In our Deep Tech Finder you can easily access all European universities that have filed at least one European patent, consult their patent documents and check basic statistics.
Key facts concerning universities and patents
Over 10%
In 2019, 10.2% of all European patent applications filed by European applicants at the EPO originated from universities, up from 6.2% in 2000.
5%
of European universities accounted for over 50% of all academic patent applications filed between 2000 and 2020.
1 580 startups
filed European patent applications with inventors coming from universities, accounting for about 12% of all academic patents between 2015 and 2019.
Q&A – Insights from the EPO
- How has the role of universities in European innovation evolved over time?
Over the past two decades, European universities have significantly increased their impact on the patent system. According to our definition, “academic patents” are all patents with at least one inventor coming from a university.
There has been a notable shift from indirect patent applications, filed by companies and third parties, to direct applications, by universities. In 2000, only about 25% of academic inventions were patented directly by universities, but this rose to 45% by 2019. This reflects a systemic change toward greater university involvement in technology commercialisation and IP management.
- What is the overall picture when it comes to universities involved in patenting in Europe, and what are the characteristics of those who are most active?
More than 1 200 European universities have filed patent applications at the EPO, and what we are seeing is great diversity among them. Germany and France lead in patent numbers, while smaller countries like Sweden and Switzerland have higher numbers of patents per university. A small percentage (5%) of universities account for half of all patent applications, with over 250 applications filed between 2000 and 2020. These top universities often have strong knowledge transfer offices and file direct patents.
- How do different European countries approach academic patenting?
While most countries have seen an increase in direct patent applications by universities, significant differences exist between national models. Nordic countries like Sweden have many academic patents per researcher but fewer university-owned patents. In contrast, countries like France and Belgium see universities filing most academic patents, often in collaboration with public research organisations.
- What role do collaborations play in university patenting?
Co-applications, signifying collaboration, are a significant part of university patenting in Europe. France stands out with a high share of co-applications involving public research organisations such as CNRS and INSERM. Similar patterns are seen with the Fraunhofer and Max Planck Institutes in Germany, and other public research organisations in Belgium, Spain and Italy.
- How do startups and companies benefit from university research?
Indirect applications, filed by companies, make up a large share of academic patents. SMEs alone file one-third of these, while startups account for 12% of academic patents. Three-quarters of startup-filed patents originate from a small number of leading European universities.
- How does the regional context influence university patenting activities?
Industrialised regions in Europe produce more academic patents, with ample opportunities for collaboration and tech transfer. In less industrialised regions, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, universities produce fewer patents but contribute more to innovation at a local level, making them crucial to regional ecosystems.
- What share of patents from universities ends up being commercialised?
European universities and public research organisations use the European patent system as a key pathway to bring their inventions from the lab to market, enabling international commercialisation, scale-up for manufacturing and the generation of revenue for their institutions. Today, these research bodies already commercialise over one third (36%) of the inventions for which they have filed a patent application with the EPO. Licensing stands out as their preferred commercialisation channel, accounting for 70% of all commercialised inventions, while the creation of spin-off companies is cited as a motivation for 41% of them.
Publications
Dive into a collection of economic studies focused on the role of universities and technology influencers.
This study provides the first ever comprehensive overview of the role European universities play in patenting and innovation on a European scale.
The study aims to provide a fact-based, quantitative assessment of the potential economic impact of the possible introduction of the grace period in Europe.
This study is the second in a series of patent commercialisation scoreboards and reports on a survey of European universities and public research organisations.
Innovation case studies
Explore a series of innovation case studies showcasing how universities, public research organisations and their spin-offs have successfully leveraged intellectual property. These real-world examples highlight the role of IP in driving growth, securing funding and fostering innovation.
University-owned patents created the springboard for this spin-off to enter the market for additive manufacturing (3D-printed) ceramics in industrial applications.
This product to treat open wounds, such as diabetic ulcers, is the result of R&D carried out by four women, inventors in the laboratory of Türkiye's Ege University.
A research project to improve surgical navigation combined with the entrepreneurial mindset of the lead researcher at the University of Coimbra in Portugal led to the creation of Perceive3D.
Tools
Find universities, startups and investors in your field
The Deep Tech Finder is your gateway to exploring Europe's innovation landscape. Designed for investors, researchers, startups and universities, this free tool connects you with key players in cutting-edge technology fields.
Get to know the IPScore of research projects
The EPO's IPscore tool makes it possible to assess, qualitatively analyse, graphically visualise and document the pros and cons of technologies and research projects.
Podcasts
Why keeping your invention secret is crucial
How can you best avoid a blunder made by many inventors? Prematurely disclosing your invention through academic publications is a common mistake. Find out why keeping your invention a secret – using non-disclosure agreements if necessary – is key until you file your patent application to optimise your chances for success.
High stakes for Europe’s competitiveness and patents
This episode delves into the principal challenges facing innovation in Europe, as outlined in Mario Draghi’s high-profile report “The future of European competitiveness”.
How to use patent knowledge to innovate
As an inventor, micro-entity, startup or university researcher, how do you keep abreast of the latest technology developments? While some believe patents lock away knowledge, keeping it from the public, nothing could be further from the truth. Find out how you can leverage free patent databases to succeed in your line of business.
Event recordings
Past events organised by the Observatory
Explore the events we hosted and watch video recordings.
