Top of the league when it comes to patents
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg is top of the league when it comes to innovation: The European Patent Office (EPO) reviewed academic patent applications filed between 2000 and 2020. FAU ranks second place for universities in Germany for the number of patent applications and ranks 13th from a total of 1200 universities in Europe in the study.
Study is a testament to FAU’s strength in innovation
Around a quarter of all academic patents in Europe come from German universities, making Germany the leader in Europe for the number of academic patent applications. With 1445 applications and ranking second in Germany, FAU has made a significant contribution to this result. In European comparison, FAU ranks 13th and closely follows renowned institutions such as ETH Zurich, KU Leuven or Oxford University and Cambridge University.
How FAU advises its researchers
For many years now, a dedicated team at FAU has been providing support to its researchers on questions about inventions and patents. It supports inventors during the entire process from registering an invention, to applying for a patent and conducting the necessary checks, to protecting intellectual property until it is licensed or sold and organizing the associated contracts. At the same time, the inventions and patents lay the foundations for science and technology-based start-ups, which also receive professional support at FAU.
Further information about inventions and patents at FAU:
https://www.fau.de/outreach/erfindungen-und-patente/
About the study
The study is the first comprehensive analysis of its kind. It is based on data about 1200 European universities that filed patent applications to the EPO between 2000 and 2020 and also includes indirect patent applications. Although these applications are filed by institutions other than the universities, they name researchers from European universities as the inventor in the application.
Further information about the study:
https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/news/patenting-european-universities-rise
Further information
Communications and Press
Phone: +49 9131 85 70229
presse@fau.de