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Global Innovation Index 2024: DPMA President calls for more dynamism to ensure innovative capacity

Current study by the World Intellectual Property Organisation: Germany falls slightly behind and ranks 9th - Efficient innovation system and strengths in traditional industrial exports, weaknesses in new business models and digital infrastructure - DPMA President: We must make greater use of our potential in new technologies

Press release of 26 September 2024

Munich. In view of Germany's performance in this year's Global Innovation Index, the President of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA), Eva Schewior, has called for more dynamism in securing Germany's innovative capacity. "The Global Innovation Index confirms that Germany currently still has a strong and very effective innovation system," said the DPMA President. "However, the study also clearly shows that we have difficulties with the digital transformation of the economy and society. If we lose touch here, our ability to innovate will suffer considerably. The consequence would be a significant decline in our social prosperity."

The Global Innovation Index 2024 was published by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva today. For the study, WIPO analysed the innovative strength of a total of 132 economies based on around 80 indicators. In the overall ranking of countries, Germany is in 9th place - one place lower than in the previous two years.

As in the previous years, the authors also gave a positive assessment of the efficiency of the German innovation system. While Germany is ranked 13th for the input factors in the innovation system, it is ranked 6th for output. The innovation system produces a better result than would be expected in view of the investments; in the study it is one of the "overperformers". Several indicators also emphasise the continued export strength based on traditional large technology companies with high investments in research and development. Germany ranks fifth worldwide in the "high-tech manufacturing" indicator and fourth in "production and export complexity", and is also still among the leaders in the number of patent applications and patent families - although it has fallen back several places compared to last year. Germany also performs well in several indicators that measure scientific performance.

Several top technology regions in Germany

Seven of the world's top 100 science and technology clusters are located in Germany: Munich with top applicant BMW and top institution TU Munich as the best-placed German region in 22nd place; Cologne (Henkel, University of Bonn); Stuttgart (Robert Bosch, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen); Frankfurt am Main (Merck Patent, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz), Berlin (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Humboldt University Berlin), Heidelberg-Mannheim (BASF, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg), Nuremberg-Erlangen (Siemens, FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg). In addition, there is the "Multi Cluster" Basel, which WIPO defines as cross-border (Switzerland, France, Germany).
Geocoding techniques are used in the clusters to identify the geographical areas with a high concentration of inventors and scientific authors - measured on the basis of PCT patent applications and scientific publications. China ranked 26 clusters among the top 100, the USA 20 clusters.

On the other hand, Germany is weakening in the implementation of products and business models in new technologies, among other things. The country is not among the top economies when it comes to the valuation of outstanding start-ups, so-called "unicorns", and the distribution of the venture capital urgently needed by young companies has recently declined significantly, according to the study. The country ranks only 55th in the export of telecommunications and computer services and 48th in "mobile app creation". Germany is also far behind in the assessment of conditions for business start-ups. According to the WIPO study, the country ranks far behind in terms of digital infrastructure and the use of this infrastructure by the population. Broadband internet and 5G mobile communications are spreading comparatively slowly. Germany is also not among the leading nations when it comes to the use of climate-friendly energy.

"Germany also has incredible potential in the new technologies. We need to translate this potential much more strongly into protected innovations and then into internationally sought-after products and services," said DPMA President Schewior.

The German Patent and Trade Mark Office

Inventiveness and creativity need effective protection. The DPMA is the German centre of expertise for all intellectual property rights – patents, utility models, trade marks and designs. As the largest national patent office in Europe and the fifth largest national patent office in the world, our office stands for the future of Germany as a country of inventors in a globalised economy. Its staff of just under 2,800 at three locations – Munich, Jena and Berlin – provide services to inventors and companies. They implement federal innovation strategies and develop the national, European and international protection systems.

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Last updated: 30 September 2024