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Shares in applications originating from Europe
A breakdown of patent applications originating from European countries shows that 71% of them were filed by large companies, 22% by individual inventors and SMEs, and 7% by universities and public research organisations. This shows that a significant proportion of applicants at the EPO are smaller entities.
Source: EPO.
Status: 3.2.2025.
1 This breakdown is based on a large representative sample of patent applications filed with the EPO in 2024 by applicants located in member states of the European Patent Organisation.
2 SMEs have been identified based on the European Commission definition of SMEs (2003/361/EC). According to this definition, an SME is i) an independent company with ii) less than 250 staff and iii) a turnover below €50 million and/or a balance sheet below €43 million. Detailed financial data and company ownership data from the BvD Orbis database have been used to enable a strict application of this definition.
3 This category includes technology transfer offices that while registered as corporate entities are clearly affiliated to a university or public research