In 2023, the number of patent applications in Germany rose again slightly after declining since 2020. A total of 58,656 applications were filed with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) in 2023, around 1,400 more than in the previous year[1].

The 38,469 patents filed by German companies (registered office) have a significant impact on the development of Germany as a centre of innovation. The increase is therefore positive on the one hand, but the question remains as to whether it is enough to revitalise Germany's business model.

The figure shows the distribution of patent applications in Germany by federal state in 2023 as well as the percentage share of the federal states in the total number of German patents. The highest numbers of patent applications are in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg (14,648) and Bavaria (10,805), which together account for 66% of applications.

The regional differences in patent applications can also be attributed to the sectors in which they are filed. The technology fields ​​​​​​​[2] ‘Transport’​​​​​​​ and ‘Electrical machinery and equipment, electrical energy’ have by far the most patent applications in 2023 (see table). These fields are characterised by a strong presence of companies in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, which explains the significant differences in patent applications between these two federal states and the other federal states. 

Even though Germany's innovative strength is often criticised, the figures clearly show that Germany is still a country of inventors today.
 

Other figures can be found here.

[1] German Patent and Trade Mark Office (2024): Current statistics: Patents. https://www.dpma.de/dpma/veroeffentlichungen/statistiken/patente/index.html, retrieved on 27.11.2024.

[2] World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2024): IPC and Technology Concordance Table. https://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=117672, retrieved on 27.11.2024.