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Industries

Innovation is happening everywhere.
Find out the latest state of our key industries.

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Observations and Findings

Innovation activity is at an all-time high, however year-over-year it has dropped to its slowest pace since the global economic recession. There is a bleeding of technologies into tangential sectors, inspired by the Internet of Things, which opens up new revenue streams for progressive companies that expand into new areas. Open innovation is alive and well, and is embraced by global leaders who want to reduce their time-to-market cycles.

1449
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First!

The First Patent. In 1449, John of Utynam was awarded a 20-year monopoly for a glass-making process.

Industries

1 Software

2 Telecommunications

3 Automotive

4 Hardware & Electronics

5 Pharmaceuticals

6 Manufacturing & Medical

7 Household Goods

8 Chemicals & Cosmetics

9 Aerospace & Defense

10 Biotechnology

11 Food, Tobacco & Beverage Fermentation

12 Oil, Gas, & Energy

13 Institution & Government Research

14 Agriculture and Forestry

15 Insight

Patent Activity

1

Software

Patents in 2014:

380,325

Percent of Total Patents:

17.64%

Percent increase from 2013:

3.62%

  1. 30% 1
  2. 13% 2
  3. 12% 3
  4. 9% 4
  5. 9% 5
  6. 7% 6
  7. 6% 7
  8. 5% 8
  9. 3% 9
  10. 2% 10
  11. 2% 11
  12. 1% 12

Patent Activity

1

Software

Patents in 2013:

367,028

Percent of Total Patents:

17.59%

  1. 30% 1
  2. 13% 2
  3. 12% 3
  4. 10% 4
  5. 8% 5
  6. 8% 6
  7. 6% 7
  8. 5% 8
  9. 3% 9
  10. 2% 10
  11. 2% 11
  12. 1% 12

Patent Activity

1

Software

Patents in 2012:

307,587

Percent of Total Patents:

17.35%

  1. 29% 1
  2. 12% 2
  3. 12% 3
  4. 11% 4
  5. 9% 5
  6. 8% 6
  7. 6% 7
  8. 5% 8
  9. 4% 9
  10. 2% 10
  11. 2% 11
  12. 1% 12

Patent Activity

1

Software

Patents in 2011:

264,406

Percent of Total Patents:

17.90%

  1. 29% 1
  2. 12% 2
  3. 12% 3
  4. 11% 4
  5. 9% 5
  6. 8% 6
  7. 6% 7
  8. 5% 8
  9. 4% 9
  10. 2% 10
  11. 2% 11
  12. 1% 12

Patent Activity

1

Software

Patents in 2010:

263,792

Percent of Total Patents:

19.17%

  1. 29% 1
  2. 12% 2
  3. 12% 3
  4. 12% 4
  5. 9% 5
  6. 8% 6
  7. 5% 7
  8. 5% 8
  9. 4% 9
  10. 2% 10
  11. 1% 11
  12. 1% 12

Percent of Total Patent activity by Rank

Patent Activity

1

Software

Patents in 2014:

380,325

Percent of Total Patents:

17.64%

Percent increase from 2013:

3.62%

2

Telecommunications

Patents in 2014:

161,739

Percent of Total Patents:

7.50%

Percent increase from 2013:

18.65%

3

Automotive

Patents in 2014:

153,872

Percent of Total Patents:

7.14%

Percent increase from 2013:

1.08%

4

Hardware & Electronics

Patents in 2014:

112,625

Percent of Total Patents:

5.22%

Percent increase from 2013:

-5.44%

5

Pharmaceuticals

Patents in 2014:

111,479

Percent of Total Patents:

5.17%

Percent increase from 2013:

11.53%

6

Manufacturing & Medical

Patents in 2014:

93,462

Percent of Total Patents:

4.33%

Percent increase from 2013:

-5.87%

7

Household Goods

Patents in 2014:

71,278

Percent of Total Patents:

3.31%

Percent increase from 2013:

0.22%

8

Aerospace & Defence

Patents in 2014:

62,162

Percent of Total Patents:

2.88%

Percent increase from 2013:

-1.46%

9

Biotechnology

Patents in 2014:

42,584

Percent of Total Patents:

1.98%

Percent increase from 2013:

7.31%

10

Food, Tobacco & Beverage Fermentation

Patents in 2014:

26,333

Percent of Total Patents:

1.22%

Percent increase from 2013:

21.03%

11

Oil, Gas & Mining

Patents in 2014:

24,158

Percent of Total Patents:

1.12%

Percent increase from 2013:

0.97%

12

Chemicals & Cosmetics

Patents in 2014:

11,017

Percent of Total Patents:

0.51%

Percent increase from 2013:

8.04%

Patent Activity

1

Software

Patents in 2013:

367,028

Percent of Total Patents:

17.59%

2

Telecommunications

Patents in 2013:

153,153

Percent of Total Patents:

7.34%

3

Automotive

Patents in 2013:

152,221

Percent of Total Patents:

7.29%

4

Hardware & Electronics

Patents in 2013:

119,099

Percent of Total Patents:

5.71%

5

Pharmaceuticals

Patents in 2013:

99,950

Percent of Total Patents:

4.79%

6

Manufacturing & Medical

Patents in 2013:

99,290

Percent of Total Patents:

4.76%

7

Household Goods

Patents in 2013:

71,118

Percent of Total Patents:

3.41%

8

Aerospace & Defence

Patents in 2013:

63,080

Percent of Total Patents:

3.02%

9

Biotechnology

Patents in 2013:

39,685

Percent of Total Patents:

1.90%

10

Oil, Gas & Mining

Patents in 2013:

23,925

Percent of Total Patents:

1.15%

11

Food, Tobacco & Beverage Fermentation

Patents in 2013:

21,758

Percent of Total Patents:

1.04%

12

Chemicals & Cosmetics

Patents in 2013:

10,197

Percent of Total Patents:

0.49%

Patent Activity

1

Software

Patents in 2012:

307,587

Percent of Total Patents:

17.35%

2

Automotive

Patents in 2012:

125,560

Percent of Total Patents:

7.08%

3

Telecommunications

Patents in 2012:

124,588

Percent of Total Patents:

7.03%

4

Hardware & Electronics

Patents in 2012:

110,334

Percent of Total Patents:

6.23%

5

Pharmaceuticals

Patents in 2012:

90,427

Percent of Total Patents:

5.10%

6

Manufacturing & Medical

Patents in 2012:

88,797

Percent of Total Patents:

5.01%

7

Household Goods

Patents in 2012:

60,891

Percent of Total Patents:

3.44%

8

Aerospace & Defence

Patents in 2012:

54,734

Percent of Total Patents:

3.09%

9

Biotechnology

Patents in 2012:

37,477

Percent of Total Patents:

2.11%

10

Oil, Gas & Mining

Patents in 2012:

19,697

Percent of Total Patents:

1.11%

11

Food, Tobacco & Beverage Fermentation

Patents in 2012:

18,257

Percent of Total Patents:

1.03%

12

Chemicals & Cosmetics

Patents in 2012:

8,853

Percent of Total Patents:

0.50%

Patent Activity

1

Software

Patents in 2011:

264,406

Percent of Total Patents:

17.90%

2

Telecommunications

Patents in 2011:

111,070

Percent of Total Patents:

7.52%

3

Automotive

Patents in 2011:

105,861

Percent of Total Patents:

7.17%

4

Hardware & Electronics

Patents in 2011:

104,966

Percent of Total Patents:

7.11%

5

Pharmaceuticals

Patents in 2011:

78,334

Percent of Total Patents:

5.30%

6

Manufacturing & Medical

Patents in 2011:

76,635

Percent of Total Patents:

5.19%

7

Household Goods

Patents in 2011:

52,551

Percent of Total Patents:

3.56%

8

Aerospace & Defence

Patents in 2011:

46,670

Percent of Total Patents:

3.16%

9

Biotechnology

Patents in 2011:

33,940

Percent of Total Patents:

2.30%

10

Oil, Gas & Mining

Patents in 2011:

17,225

Percent of Total Patents:

1.17%

11

Food, Tobacco & Beverage Fermentation

Patents in 2011:

15,037

Percent of Total Patents:

1.02%

12

Chemicals & Cosmetics

Patents in 2011:

8,075

Percent of Total Patents:

0.55%

Patent Activity

1

Software

Patents in 2010:

263,792

Percent of Total Patents:

19.17%

2

Telecommunications

Patents in 2010:

109,801

Percent of Total Patents:

7.98%

3

Automotive

Patents in 2010:

108,454

Percent of Total Patents:

7.88%

4

Hardware & Electronics

Patents in 2010:

106,852

Percent of Total Patents:

7.77%

5

Pharmaceuticals

Patents in 2010:

77,512

Percent of Total Patents:

5.63%

6

Manufacturing & Medical

Patents in 2010:

74,108

Percent of Total Patents:

5.39%

7

Household Goods

Patents in 2010:

48,842

Percent of Total Patents:

3.55%

8

Aerospace & Defence

Patents in 2010:

43,137

Percent of Total Patents:

3.13%

9

Biotechnology

Patents in 2010:

31,902

Percent of Total Patents:

2.32%

10

Oil, Gas & Mining

Patents in 2010:

16,712

Percent of Total Patents:

1.21%

11

Food, Tobacco & Beverage Fermentation

Patents in 2010:

11,591

Percent of Total Patents:

0.84%

12

Chemicals & Cosmetics

Patents in 2010:

8,035

Percent of Total Patents:

0.58%

Percent of Total Patent activity by Rank