EPO: Public Research Organisations Behind 63,000 Inventions
Summary
The European Patent Office (EPO) has released a report highlighting that public research organisations (PROs) contributed to nearly 63,000 European patent applications between 2001 and 2020. The report identifies leading institutions and key innovation areas, emphasizing the growing commercialization of research findings.
What changed
The European Patent Office (EPO) has published a press release detailing a study on patent applications from public research organisations (PROs) across 39 European member states from 2001 to 2020. The study reveals that PROs contributed to approximately 63,000 patent applications, representing nearly 5% of all filings from European applicants. Ten leading institutions, including CNRS, CEA, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, INSERM, and TNO, accounted for 63% of these applications. The report also notes a trend towards increased commercialization of PRO inventions and highlights biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and computer technology as leading fields.
This notice serves as an informational update on innovation trends originating from European public research. While it does not impose new compliance obligations, it provides valuable insights into patenting activities and strategic research areas. Compliance officers in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and technology may find this data useful for competitive analysis and understanding the innovation landscape. No immediate actions are required from regulated entities based on this announcement.
Source document (simplified)
Press centre
Public research organisations behind 63 000 inventions across Europe in the past two decades
22.10.2025
in Press release
- Patent data from EPO reveals the top 10 European institutions, led by CNRS, CEA, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, INSERM and TNO, account for nearly two-thirds of all public research organisation-related patent applications
- These institutions are advancing innovation in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and other strategic areas
- Europe’s research hospitals contributed to over 17 400 patent applications
Munich, 22 October 2025 – A new study, developed by the EPO’s Observatory on Patents and Technology with Fraunhofer ISI, highlights the role of Europe’s public research organisations (PROs) in advancing innovation. Covering 39 member states, the report shows that between 2001 and 2020, PROs contributed to nearly 63 000 European patent applications—almost 5% of all filings from European applicants. Just 10 institutions, led by France and Germany, accounted for 63% of these, with the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) and Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) topping the list. PROs are increasingly commercialising their inventions, with the ratio of direct-to-indirect patent filings rising from 4.4 to 6.9. Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals were the leading fields, along with measurement, semiconductors, computer technology, and other strategic areas.
“Public research is one of Europe’s greatest strengths. This study highlights the vital role of our public research organisations and hospitals, whose inventions boost Europe’s competitiveness,” said EPO President António Campinos. “ But to unlock their full potential, we must s tep up collaboration and accelerate the transfer of research into real-world technologies.”
Hospitals as hubs of research and medical innovation
European research hospitals contributed to over 17 400 European patent applications during the same period, with France, Germany and the UK in the lead. The top three hospitals were Greater Paris University Hospitals (APHP), Copenhagen University Hospital and Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm. Hospitals, though still mainly contributing indirectly to patenting, recorded the strongest growth in filing their own patents between 2016 and 2020. Their ratio of direct-to-indirect applications more than tripled, showing a gradual move toward owning patents while continuing to play a key role in collaborative clinical innovation and translating research into patient-focused technologies.
Research-linked startups punch above their weight
The study also highlights the commercial impact of research-linked startups. More than 2 800 European startups have patent applications involving inventors from universities, PROs or hospitals. These account for over 27% of all startups in Europe with patent applications at the EPO. Yet, despite making up only a quarter of the total, they secured about half of all startup funding and nearly a third of deals and exits, underlining their key role in bringing research to market.
Further information
- Full report “The role of European public research in patenting and innovation”
- New filter for public research organisations in the Deep Tech Finder (DTF)
- EPO’s Observatory on Patents and Technology
Media contacts European Patent Office
Luis Berenguer Giménez
Principal Director Communication / EPO spokesperson
EPO press desk
[email protected]
About the EPO
With 6 300 staff members , the European Patent Office (EPO) is one of the largest public service institutions in Europe. Headquartered in Munich with offices in Berlin, Brussels, The Hague and Vienna, the EPO was founded with the aim of strengthening co-operation on patents in Europe. Through the EPO's centralised patent granting procedure, inventors are able to obtain high-quality patent protection in up to 46 countries, covering a market of some 700 million people. The EPO is also the world's leading authority in patent information and patent searching.
Download Press release
Named provisions
Related changes
Source
Classification
Who this affects
Taxonomy
Browse Categories
Get Courts & Legal alerts
Weekly digest. AI-summarized, no noise.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Get alerts for this source
We'll email you when EPO News publishes new changes.