Germany remains the leader in patent applications in Europe

Patent Index 2024: Germany consolidates its position as innovation leader. Siemens is the second largest patent applicant worldwide.

Munich, March 25, 2025 - The European Patent Office (EPO) records almost 200,000 patent applications for the year 2024. Germany maintains its leading position in Europe with a total of 25,033 applications, a slight increase compared to 2023. This puts Germany in second place worldwide behind the USA.

Changing technology: computer technology in the lead

For the first time, computer technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), is the most strongly represented technology field in patent applications in Europe. German companies and inventors filed 1,558 patent applications in this field, which corresponds to growth of 12.7%.

Siemens, BASF and Bosch among the ten largest patent applicants

Three German companies are among the top 10 applicants at the EPO: Siemens (6th place, 1,830 applications), BASF (7th place, 1,599 applications) and Robert Bosch (10th place, 1,249 applications). The global ranking is led by Samsung, Huawei and LG.

Strong growth in specific sectors

Germany remains a key player in the automotive and transportation sector, with 1,910 applications in this area. German companies also recorded significant growth in medical technology (+7.7%), packaging technologies (+7.5%) and chemical engineering (+15.8%).

Regional differences: Bavaria leads, eastern Germany catches up

Bavaria remains the most innovative federal state with 6,986 patent applications (27.9% of all German applications), followed by Baden-Württemberg (5,359) and North Rhine-Westphalia (4,636). At the same time, eastern German states such as Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Thuringia recorded double-digit growth rates in patent applications.

Proportion of women in patent applications remains low

Only 20% of patent applications from Germany contain a female inventor - well below the European average of 25%. Spain leads with 42%, followed by Belgium (32%) and France (31%).

Unitary patent system gains in importance

The unitary patent introduced in 2023 is becoming increasingly popular. 34.1% of German patent applicants opted for this option in 2024, an increase on 22.9% in the previous year. Siemens was the second-largest applicant of unitary patents worldwide, behind Johnson & Johnson.

Conclusion: Germany remains Europe's innovation driver

Despite global uncertainties, the German innovation landscape is proving robust. The increasing number of applications in future technologies such as AI and medical technology as well as the growing use of the unitary patent system underline Germany's importance as an innovation leader in Europe.