EPO Technology Dashboard 2025
AI-related inventions and battery technologies surge
Key figures
Robust demand for European patents amid global economic uncertainties
In 2025, the EPO received 201 954 applications (+1.4%). Applications from the 39 EPO member states rose slightly (+0.4%) driven by increases from states typically filing in smaller volumes. From outside Europe, filings from the United States fell slightly (-1.6%), whereas P.R. China (+9.7%) overtook Japan (+1.1%) to become the third greatest source of applications. Filings from R. Korea also increased sharply (+9.5%).
Top technology fields
Half of the top ten most patent-active fields saw growth. The largest growth of any of the leading technology fields was seen in Digital communication (+11.4%) which includes inventions for mobile networks. This field was the second most active, just behind computer technology (+6.1%) which includes artificial intelligence and quantum technologies. The third most active field was electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (+5.3%), including battery technologies which have increased 340% in the last decade. The combined number of filings in the top ten technology fields accounted for 57.5% of all European patent applications in 2025.
Top applicants
Samsung (+4.5%) remained as the top applicant at the EPO in 2025, with Huawei (+9.8%), LG (+23.2%) and Qualcomm (-2.5%) all staying in the same relative ranking. Nokia rose 7 places to #5 (+89.0%), and Microsoft (+20.5%) and battery-maker CATL (+12.2%) entering the Top 10 for the first time at #9 and #10 respectively. There were seven European companies among the Top 25, two fewer than in 2024. Some 26% of patent applications to the EPO from Europe were filed by individual inventors or SMEs (companies with fewer than 250 employees). Another 7% came from universities and public research organisations.
Geographic origin of applications
Filings from European applicants remained high (+0.4%), achieving a total share of 42.9% in 2025. German applicants continue to lead the way, with 12.1% share, even though filings of German origin are -1.8% of what they were a decade ago. Significant increases in 2025 were seen from Spain (+2.9%), Austria (+5.0%), Denmark (+5.2%), Ireland (+5.5%), and especially Finland (+44.0%). Switzerland remained the country with the most patent applications per capita amongst those with populations in excess of 1 million.
Key figures summary
Check out the key trends in patenting for 2025.
More statistics for download
Data on the last 10 years and country specific profiles.