Observatory on Patents and Technology starts work today

Today the European Patent Office opens its new Observatory on Patents and Technology. As a first port of call for anyone interested in the future of innovation, the Observatory will quantify and explore trends and challenges throughout the innovation ecosystem. It will also provide industry, innovators, investors, policymakers and in general all actors of the innovation ecosystem with reliable evidence for informed decision-making.

Being on the frontline of technology for the last 50 years, the EPO has an exceptional outlook on technological innovation. The new Observatory will strive to integrate patent intelligence into a wider context and enrich this outlook with data, information and perspectives arising from other actors within the innovation ecosystem. For this purpose, the EPO has created an Observatory: a platform that will equip all of us with an up-to-date understanding into innovation and the role of patents especially in emerging technologies.

By involving a wide range of stakeholders, the Observatory will identify ways in which the patent system can develop further to stimulate innovation, economic growth, employment, competitiveness and sustainable development. The work of the Observatory will comprise new digital tools, studies, consultations, events and forums, arranged according to three streams: technology intelligence; legal and innovation policy; and diversity and transformation.

Within these three streams, the Observatory will be considering ten initial topics across a range of technology and policy areas: from healthcare to space-related innovation, and from finance to climate change. The Observatory’s activities will also be aligned with various United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

President Campinos said: “The EPO is home to a wealth of patent expertise and data, and we have to harness these resources to find our way to a more sustainable world. The launch of the Observatory today gives us the dynamic, open space we so urgently need, where a diverse group of stakeholders can discuss technological and patent insights. It will be the go-to destination for forging a deeper understanding of innovation and its role in creating a brighter future together.

By working together with innovators in the race to tackle global challenges, the new Observatory also aims to break down the barriers that prevent people from fully benefiting from the patent system by reaching out to a wider range of stakeholders. When it comes to participation, the underlying ethos of the Observatory will be “driven by expertise, yet accessible to all.”

As an open and dynamic platform, the Observatory remains ready to address other topics that may be suggested by our stakeholders along the way.  If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact observatory@epo.org

Inaugural event of the Observatory: Boosting startups with intellectual property

The Observatory’s inaugural event will be on Tuesday 17 October (10.00 to 11.30 hrs CEST), “Boosting startups with intellectual property”. This free event will explore how deep tech startups can harness the power of IP rights to drive innovative solutions and attract investment.

To shed light on this topic, the event will present a new joint study from the EPO and EUIPO assessing the use of patents and registered trade marks by European startups, and the impact of those IP rights on the startups’ funding and exit strategies. 

In direct connection to these findings, the EPO will also introduce a new digital tool enabling the identification and search of startups based in EPO countries that have been filing European patent applications. This free Deep Tech Finder will blend business information with patent information, helping potential investors detect and assess startups that are bringing disruptive inventions to market in critical technology areas.

Michiel Scheffer, President of the Board, European Innovation Council (EIC), together with representatives of startups and investors will be invited to share their own views on the relationship between innovation, IP, funding and growth, and to discuss the ways forward in leveraging patents to further support deep tech ventures.