Observatory tools
Unlock valuable insights into the world of innovation with the Observatory’s powerful suite of tools. Whether you are tracking technological progress, conducting research or making strategic decisions, our resources provide the data and analysis you need.
Explore our tools to get started or find out which tool is right for you.
Supporting innovators
Deep Tech Finder
The Deep Tech Finder (DTF) is an interactive platform that helps you to identify European startups and universities with patent-backed innovations in deep technology fields. You can use the platform to find investors that support European deep tech too.
Technology platforms
Our technology platforms make it easy for scientists, researchers and the general public to explore thousands of free patent documents on Espacenet in various domains, ranging from technologies related to health and sustainability matters to emerging technologies. Each technical concept is represented by a search statement in Espacenet, providing users with a curated starting point for further refinement or amendments.
IPScore
IPScore is a tool for evaluating patents, technologies and research projects. It enables you to analyse, visualise and document the strengths and weaknesses of patents and research projects. You can also customise the assessment factors used in your analysis.
Patent standards explorer
Search within a dataset and find out how patent applications are connected to standards development organisation (SDO) documents, linking the patent and standards worlds beyond traditional self-reported standard-essentiality declarations.
Analysing patent data and statistics in detail
PATSTAT, EPO’s statistical database
EPO's PATSTAT database has become a global reference in the field of patent intelligence and statistics. It contains bibliographic and procedural information on more than 130 million applications from over 100 patent authorities worldwide. PATSTAT enables you to perform sophisticated statistical analyses.
Statistics and trends centre
The statistics and trends centre covers areas such as the latest trends on patent applications and technologies, the Unitary Patent, as well as the annual compendium of statistics on activity at the EPO and at EPC member state offices.
Find resources to explore technology and innovation
Digital Library on Innovation
The digital library is a gateway to a wealth of critical analysis on technology and innovation. It provides easy access both to resources published by the EPO, such as our Observatory economic studies and technology insight reports, and to resources published by our expert and stakeholder networks on technologies, economics, patent data and intellectual property (IP) law.
Finding out which tool is right for you
Choosing the right tool can be overwhelming with so many options available. This section will guide you through the process, helping you to identify your specific needs that match with the perfect solution. Let’s simplify your search!
- Find other companies, universities and investors in a specific technical field
You are an innovation actor seeking to partner with key players from a specific technical field. You want to connect with startups eager to bring fresh ideas, investors looking for promising ventures, universities conducting cutting-edge research, or public research organisations that can add value.
We recommend the following tools:
- Deep Tech Finder
- Technology Investor Score
- Get easy access to patent documents
You are looking for detailed patent information to support your research or technical work. These tools provide direct access to patent documents, make it easier to explore the EPO’s vast database and enable you to create customised statistics with Espacenet’s filter function. Start with EPO curated queries in the technology platform section if your topic is covered there and consult the respective technology insight reports for in-depth analysis and insights.
We recommend the following tools:
- Find the winning technologies in your portfolio of ideas and patents
You need to identify which patents are of strategic importance, namely those that meet user needs and provide significant technical advantages. With the Deep Tech Finder, you can explore and identify the patents held by innovative startups. Using IPscore, you can then assess and compare these patents to those in your own portfolio, enabling you to transform the most promising inventions into revenue-generating innovations.
We recommend the following tools:
- Find guidance on investment and funding decisions
You are making strategic decisions about where to invest or allocate funding. Whether you are an investor, policymaker or entrepreneur, these tools offer insights into how patenting is linked to investment.
We recommend the following tools:
- Technology Investor Score
- Deep Tech Finder
- IPScore
- Get access to patent statistics
You need quick access to reliable patent statistics to support your research, policymaking or business strategy. These tools provide curated datasets and visualisations to help you understand innovation patterns.
We recommend the following tools:
- Get access to resources related to technologies and innovation
You want to explore expert publications and analyses on innovation, technology and IP. These resources offer curated insights from the EPO and its partners.
We recommend the following tools:
- Find relationships between patents and standards
You are interested in understanding how patents relate to technical standards. This tool helps you explore connections beyond traditional declarations, offering deeper insights into standardisation and innovation.
We recommend the following tool: