EPO highlights potential of high-tech startups at first GITEX Europe in Berlin
Gilles Requena, Chief Patent and Policy Officer at the EPO, speaking during the panel at GITEX Europe 2025
At GITEX Europe 2025, the EPO underlined the importance of patents and innovation policy in scaling up Europe's deep tech sector.
On 22 May 2025, the European Patent Office (EPO) took part in the inaugural edition of GITEX Europe in Berlin, joining the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) and the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) to promote Europe’s innovation ecosystem and its support for high-tech start-ups. As part of their joint “Reach-out to high-tech startups” initiative, the EPO and DPMA co-hosted a booth at the event.
Removing barriers to innovation in Europe
During the main stage panel discussion “Global Leaders and AI”, the EPO’s Chief Patent Research and Policy Officer Gilles Requena was joined by DPMA President Eva Schewior and UKIPO CEO Adam Williams. The three offices delivered a unified message: Europe must continue removing barriers to innovation and ensure a level playing field for inventors, researchers and entrepreneurs.
Mr Requena highlighted the economic importance of intellectual property for startups and scaling up. The latest figures were provided on the strong uptake of the Unitary Patent system, with more than 56 000 requests already filed, many of them from European SMEs. Drawing on EPO Observatory research, the EPO also emphasised that European startups with patents are up to ten times more likely to secure early-stage investment.
Surge in AI innovation
Europe’s growing role in emerging technologies was also a topic of discussion during the panel, with Mr Requena noting that AI-related patent filings at the EPO surged in 2024. The EPO’s evolving approach to examining AI-related inventions was outlined too, with an emphasis on the importance of quality and clarity in examination. Additional insights were shared on how AI-driven tools are being integrated into the patent granting process.
Patents as growth engines for deep tech start-ups
The EPO also held a workshop, titled “Investors and partners in deep tech: Unlocking value through patents”. The focus here was on investment and IP strategies. There was also a presentation of the EPO’s Deep Tech Finder, a free online tool linking patent data with business insights to help users identify Europe's most promising startups and innovation partners.
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