By Amara Graps
Patents: The Intention
Patents are a funny thing. Patents:
- indicate strong support for an idea,
- demonstrate the level of innovation,
- manifest the financial support to gain a technology,
- give social benefit points (China), and
- may be the only evidence (21 patents), of a technology that was developed, tested, and announced in hundreds of press releases (Lockheed Martin’s “Dark Ice”), and then went dark.
In Europe, quantum technology patents also represent a bitter reality of 3rd place.
The European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC)’ January 2024 Report: A Portrait of the Global Patent Landscape in Quantum Technologies, concluded that, in terms of filed inventions, Europe trails only the United States and China in each of the three categories (quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum sensing).
QuIC’s report then raised a concern:
Europe is in second place in its own market, with 31% of European patents and patent applications, while the USA is ranked firmly in first place with 51% of European patents and patent applications.
European companies may consequently be at risk, even in their own market, if they have to use protected technologies from non-European companies. This could hinder the potential business from European companies.
See their Fig. 13 bar chart in their Report, reproduced here:
Figure. Top 25 assignees in Quantum Technologies ranked on European patents and patent applications. Figure from EQIC’s January 2024 Report: A Portrait of the Global Patent Landscape in Quantum Technologies
To check one local European situation, I extracted the patent record in Germany, choosing *only* an issuing German Patent office, and in German language, to create as local of European patent granting conditions, as possible. I didn’t select separate domains such as quantum communication, quantum sensing, quantum computing. Twelve of the nineteen issued patents are German companies. This indicates that, at the smallest country scale, the market conditions for local vendors might be more positive.
The leading company, as in the above bar chart, is IBM, using patent domains: WO US CN JP DE GB.
Figure. Top assignees in Quantum Technologies (‘Quanten’) ranked in German patents.
Investments: Fixing the Implementation
QuIC advises that European businesses and RTOs must rank first in the world in terms of the quantity of European patents and patent applications if they are to attain strategic autonomy in the field of quantum technologies.
Therefore, they propose that:
• The European Union (EU) and its member states should invest more in academic institutions, businesses, and start-ups engaged in quantum technology and research.
• Funding opportunities offered by the EU and its member states should be subject to an ambitious intellectual property policy that requires new inventions to be filed with the European Patent Office.
We have advice for European Investors from QCR’s August 2024 article: Latest Quantum Tech Investment Trends. I especially like this part for quantum technology investors and vendors:
Key to success: A good story! There is now a considerable ecosystem of a small dozen of vendors with great qubits, credible roadmaps and breakthrough announcements – to be successful, you need more than the best qubits in the game. You need a purpose.
GQI has the most comprehensive and up-to-date data and tools, to help investors make the best decisions and companies to best position their quantum products and services. If you are interested to learn more, please don’t hesitate to contact [email protected].
September 12, 2024
