Innovation ranking 2022: Austria is EU leader in patents, trademarks and designs

In the newly published European Innovation Scoreboard, Austria is number 1 in the EU in the category "intellectual property".

The European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) 2022 was published today by the European Commission and it contains a small sensation: Austria has catapulted itself to first place in the EU in terms of intellectual property this year. Measured in terms of GDP, no other country in the EU registers so many patents, trademarks and designs.

Federal Minister for Climate Action, Innovation and Technology Leonore Gewessler: “The fact that Austria, with its inventors, is in first place in the category 'intellectual property' of the European Innovation Scoreboard is an outstanding achievement. It shows the tireless inventive spirit of the people in our country. And it shows that our research funding works. The Patent Office and its employees do incredibly important and professional work in this area with their supply of information and services. I would like to sincerely thank all inventors and all employees of the Patent Office.”

“Securing intellectual property is essential for every single company and for all of us, especially in times of crisis. This first place among the EU-27 confirms us in our work and at the same time encourages us to continue to focus on protecting your innovations” says the President of the Patent Office, Mariana Karepova. “We must not let up under any circumstances. Especially in difficult times, it is important that companies and research institutions protect their innovations," Karepova continues.

With the Austrian Patent Office, SMEs and research institutions have an excellent partner at their side who they can always turn to and who has accessible and reasonable advice and services for them in all aspects of protecting their innovations.

European Innovation Scoreboard

The EIS is created annually by the EU Commission. It provides information about the performance of research and innovation in the countries and highlights various aspects that are summarized in 12 innovation categories. In terms of intellectual property, Austria overtook the innovation leaders Denmark, Sweden and Finland this year. The 11 other categories are led by various other EU Member States, e.g. “digitalisation” by the Netherlands.

In the overall ranking, Austria has overtaken Germany, but remains in 8th place in the EU, behind Ireland, and is therefore right at the top of the group of "strong innovators".

The Austrian Patent Office

The Austrian Patent Office: Over 13,000 innovations per year. 236 experts in patents, trademarks, designs, artificial intelligence, software, mechanical engineering, pharmacy, electrical engineering and any other technological field. A wide range of free advice, services, searches, funding, such as the patent voucher, our own IP Academy for IP professionals and beginners, as well as the examinations in the context of the granting of IP rights.

To the European Innovation Scoreboard