Content
Current Statistical Data for Patents
At a glance
|
2022 |
2023 |
Changes in % |
| Applications (patent applications with the DPMA and PCT patent applications after entering the national phase) |
57,212 |
58,656 |
+ 2.5 |
| Opened examination procedures |
43,466 |
44,489 |
+ 2.4 |
| Concluded examination procedures |
45,513 |
42,634 |
- 6.3 |
| - published decisions to grant a patent |
23,591 |
22,363 |
- 5.2 |
| Patents in force |
142,671 |
148,359 |
+ 4.0 |
Patent applications
| Year |
Applications |
| 2019 |
67,429 |
| 2020 |
62,110 |
| 2021 |
58,575 |
| 2022 |
57,212 |
| 2023 |
58,656 |
Companies and institutions with the most patent applications in 2023
| Ranking |
Applicant [1] |
Seat |
Applications |
| 1 |
Robert Bosch GmbH |
Germany |
4,160 |
| 2 |
Mercedes-Benz Group AG |
Germany |
2,046 |
| 3 |
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG |
Germany |
1,963 |
| 4 |
GM Global Technology Operations LLC |
USA |
1,640 |
| 5 |
ZF Friedrichshafen AG |
Germany |
1,309 |
| 6 |
Ford Global Technologies, LLC |
USA |
1,175 |
| 7 |
Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG |
Germany |
1,040 |
| 8 |
VOLKSWAGEN AG |
Germany |
1,031 |
| 9 |
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG |
Germany |
913 |
| 10 |
AUDI AG |
Germany |
865 |
| [1] Without taking into account possible business group affiliations. |
Patent applications by German Länder in 2023
| German Länder |
Applications |
Percentage |
Applications per 100,000 inhabitants |
| Baden-Württemberg |
14,648 |
38.1 |
130 |
| Bavaria |
10,805 |
28.1 |
81 |
| North Rhine-Westphalia |
5,527 |
14.4 |
30 |
| Lower Saxony |
2,825 |
7.3 |
35 |
| Hesse |
1,089 |
2.8 |
17 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate |
605 |
1.6 |
15 |
| Saxony |
544 |
1.4 |
13 |
| Thuringia |
502 |
1.3 |
24 |
| Berlin |
476 |
1.2 |
13 |
| Hamburg |
401 |
1.0 |
21 |
| Schleswig-Holstein |
383 |
1.0 |
13 |
| Brandenburg |
195 |
0.5 |
8 |
| Saxony-Anhalt |
140 |
0.4 |
6 |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pommerania |
122 |
0.3 |
7 |
| Bremen |
109 |
0.3 |
16 |
| Saarland |
98 |
0.3 |
10 |
| Germany |
38,469 |
100 |
46 |
TOP 5 Fields of technology [1]
| No. |
Field of technology (sector) |
Applications in 2022 |
Applications in 2023 |
Changes in % |
| 32 |
Transport (mechanical engineering) |
10,360 |
10,618 |
+ 2.5 |
| 1 |
Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (electrical engineering) |
7,331 |
8.056 |
+ 9.9 |
| 10 |
Measurement (instruments) |
4,292 |
4,437 |
+ 3.4 |
| 31 |
Mechanical elements (mechanical engineering) |
3,605 |
3,359 |
- 6.8 |
| 6 |
Computer technology (electrical engineering) |
3,487 |
3,325 |
- 4.6 |
| [1] According to the WIPO IPC-Technology Concordance Table. |
The Leading fields of technology [1] in the individual German Länder in 2023
| GermanLänder |
Nr. |
Field of technology |
Applications |
Changes in % to 2022 |
| Baden-Württemberg |
32 |
Transport |
3,264 |
+ 19.0 |
| |
1 |
Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy |
2,272 |
+ 18.1 |
| |
10 |
Measurement |
1,327 |
+ 4.2 |
| Bavaria |
32 |
Transport |
2,313 |
+ 0.9 |
| |
1 |
Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy |
1,750 |
+ 13.2 |
| |
31 |
Mechanical elements |
728 |
- 20.8 |
| Berlin |
32 |
Transport |
54 |
+ 17.4 |
| |
6 |
Computer technology |
37 |
+ 19.4 |
| |
13 |
Medical technology |
34 |
+ 3.0 |
| Brandenburg |
1 |
Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy |
24 |
- 53.8 |
| |
32 |
Transport |
24 |
+ 26.3 |
| |
27 |
Engines, pumps, turbines |
15 |
- 50.0 |
| Bremen |
10 |
Measurement |
20 |
+ 33.3 |
| |
1 |
Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy |
19 |
- 13.6 |
| |
32 |
Transport |
17 |
- 15.0 |
| Hamburg |
13 |
Medical technology |
64 |
+ 10.3 |
| |
25 |
Handling |
59 |
- 18.1 |
| |
14 |
Organic fine chemistry |
38 |
+ 40.7 |
| Hesse |
13 |
Medical technology |
91 |
+ 31.9 |
| |
31 |
Mechanical elements |
89 |
- 27.6 |
| |
10 |
Measurement |
86 |
- 13.1 |
| Lower Saxony |
32 |
Transport |
832 |
+ 1.1 |
| |
29 |
Other special machines |
253 |
+ 0.8 |
| |
1 |
Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy |
233 |
- 24.6 |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania |
33 |
Furniture, games |
12 |
+ 100.0 |
| |
32 |
Transport |
11 |
- 66.7 |
| |
34 |
Other consumer goods |
10 |
+ 100.0 |
| North Rhine-Westphalia |
1 |
Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy |
640 |
- 3.5 |
| |
35 |
Civil engineering |
493 |
+ 1.6 |
| |
10 |
Measurement |
434 |
+ 31.1 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate |
1 |
Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy |
64 |
+ 25.5 |
| |
35 |
Civil engineering |
64 |
+ 36.2 |
| |
31 |
Mechanical elements |
57 |
- 8.1 |
| Saarland |
31 |
Mechanical elements |
15 |
- 31.8 |
| |
23 |
Chemical engineering |
13 |
- 7.1 |
| |
1 |
Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy |
10 |
+ 25.0 |
| Saxony |
1 |
Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy |
69 |
- 19.8 |
| |
10 |
Measurement |
54 |
+ 28.6 |
| |
6 |
Computer technology |
36 |
+ 12.5 |
| Saxony-Anhalt |
1 |
Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy |
18 |
+ 12.5 |
| |
8 |
Semiconductors |
17 |
+ 88.9 |
| |
13 |
Medical technology |
12 |
+ 50.0 |
| Schleswig-Holstein |
10 |
Measurement |
45 |
+ 25.0 |
| |
13 |
Medical technology |
39 |
- 20.4 |
| |
19 |
Basic materials chemistry |
26 |
- 29.7 |
| Thuringia |
13 |
Medical technology |
94 |
+ 6.8 |
| |
9 |
Optics |
82 |
+ 17.1 |
| |
1 |
Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy |
61 |
+ 69.4 |
| [1] According to the WIPO IPC-Technology Concordance Table. |
Last updated: 1 March 2024
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