Patent statistics

As of 31 December 2022, a total of 151,137 patents were in force in Switzerland. This can be divided into 5,550 national patents and 145,587 European patents. The first figure refers to inventions that have been filed for patent protection directly with the IPI. The considerably higher figure refers to patents filed with the European Patent Office (EPO), which are also in effect in Switzerland.

 

Patents

This represents an increase of 4421 patents over the previous year.

Patents

Assisted patent searches examine inventions very closely.

 

 

Top 10 patent-filing countries (2020)

In the list of countries who submitted the most applications in 2020, Switzerland ranks seventh with 8,112 applications. The USA takes the top spot with 44,293 applications.

 

Source: European Patent Office

 

 

Top 5 countries – applications per million inhabitants (2020)

In 2020, Switzerland was once again the country with the most patent applications per million inhabitants. With 966 patent applications, the number shows a slight decline in 2020 (988 in the previous year). The EU average was 146 applications per million inhabitants.

 

Source: European Patent Office

 

Assisted patent searches in 2022 – inventions under the microscope

The IPI offers assisted patent searches. Together with a patent expert, the client can take an in-depth look at questions relating to patenting an innovation. Clients receive valuable search results which support them in making decisions concerning their idea or invention. This service is aimed at SMEs, individual inventors, research institutes and companies supported by research and innovation funding.

 

In 2022, the IPI carried out 845 assisted patent searches. Most requests came from the canton of Zurich (245).

1. Zurich 245

2. Vaud 91
3. Bern 76
3. Aargau 76
5. St. Gallen 41

 

Source: The IPI

 

 

Patents in annual comparison

Anyone who wants to patent an invention in Switzerland must apply to the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI). In addition, patents granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) are also active in Switzerland.

 

  2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017

National applications

1546 1 555 1 590

1 720

1 616

1 628

National patents granted

782 724 747

615

615

771

National patents in force

5550 6 623 6 782

7 066

7 235

7 351

Patents granted by EPO(1)
with effect in Switzerland

145'587 140 093 132 770

124 635

 115 684

 109 407

Total number of patents in force
in Switzerland

151'137 146 716 139 552

131 719

122 800

116 758

(1) Patents in force: All patents, for which an annual fee had been paid in Switzerland as of 31.12.2022, were taken into account.

 

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