Portuguese patent applications hit record in 2024

Portuguese companies filed a record 347 patent applications with the European Patent Organisation (EPO) in 2024, up 4.8% on the previous year, it was revealed on Tuesday.

“Portuguese companies and inventors filed 347 patent applications with the EPO in 2024, an increase of 4.8% on the previous year,” revealed the Patent Index 2024, published today, emphasising that this is an all-time record.

Since 2020, the number of Portuguese patent applications has grown by 38.2%.

Computer technology and medical technology stand out as the main sectors in terms of Portugal’s patent applications in the European market, accounting for around a quarter of the total.

In a statement, the EPO said that the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals sectors had the most patents, bucking the global trend.

By telecoms operator, NOS Inovação filed 22 patent applications last year, maintaining its lead.

It was followed by Altice Labs (11) and the University of Porto (10).

ARK – Indústria, Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores do Porto (INESC – Porto), Tridonic Portugal, Universidade de Aveiro, Universidade do Minho and Universidade Nova de Lisboa all had five applications each.

The North continues to lead the regional ranking, with 179 patent applications, an increase of 13.3% on last year.

This was followed by the Centre and Lisbon regions with 86 and 69 patent applications respectively.

Portugal came second in Europe in terms of the rate of women inventors. In first place is North Macedonia.

Almost half (48%) of patent applications in Portugal mention at least one female inventor.

The EPO, which has its headquarters in Munich and offices in Berlin, Brussels, The Hague and Vienna, has 6,300 employees. The organisation was set up to strengthen patent cooperation in Europe.