Patent Knowledge Forum 2024: Patent intelligence in action

On 4 December, the European Patent Office (EPO) hosted its annual Patent Knowledge Forum (PKF), bringing together over 2,200 patent professionals, innovators and patent information experts from around the globe. The virtual event serves as vital platform for the patent knowledge community, facilitating the dynamic exchange of ideas and expertise in the field of patent intelligence and the pivotal role of patent data in driving innovation and tackling global challenges.

“Patent knowledge isn’t just data - it’s the DNA of technological progress,” said EPO President António Campinos in his opening address, where he emphasised, “That’s why sharing this information and transforming it into accessible knowledge and intelligence is at the heart of our mission here at the EPO. When we grant a patent, we uphold a social contract – to make technology visible, understandable and replicable.”

Enhancing the accessibility of patent data

A key highlight of the PKF was the official public launch of the Technology Intelligence Platform (TIP), the EPO’s next-generation tool for processing, analysing and visualising patent data. Designed to extract valuable patent information and knowledge, TIP represents a significant leap forward in how users can interact with and leverage patent data by enabling them to combine it with other data sets. 

The launch featured live demonstrations showcasing the new platform’s advanced capabilities, from intuitive data visualisation to its advanced analytical tools for identifying emerging trends and innovation opportunities. During the innovation hub masterclass, attendees heard firsthand testimonials from the platform’s beta users, who shared their experiences and highlighted the transformative impact that TIP has had on their workflows.

This was followed by the patent information learning power hour, which provided attendees with a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in the EPO’s patent information tools and services, including enhancements to Espacenet and valuable insights into the Unitary Patent in the European Patent Register.

The forum concluded with the highly anticipated CodeFest 2024 prize ceremony and reveal of this year’s three winners. The competition challenged coders and developers to design innovative generative AI solutions to transform how patent data is accessed and leveraged to derive new insights. To complete their solutions, competitors were given access to the EPO’s data resources, including TIP, making them some of the first beta testers of the platform. You can read more about CodeFest 2024 and its winners in the news item linked below.

Building a more robust innovation ecosystem

In addition to celebrating the significant advancements in patent knowledge over the past year, PKF also marks an important part in the EPO’s efforts to democratise access to patent data and lower barriers. By welcoming patent information experts as well as SMEs, startups, investors, entrepreneurs, academics, researchers, data scientists, coders, programmers and infopreneurs, the event enhances the accessibility of the patent system and helps to support future innovation.