Data on patents filed by Italian applicants in 2023 at a European and global level reveal an upward trend for filings in the area of green tech and an increase in applications from the Italian province, against a backdrop of limited but stable growth.

Unioncamere and Dintec published on 30 November 2024 an analysis of European patent applications filed in 2023 by Italian applicants, in which the moderate but constant growth trend maintained from 2015 onwards is confirmed. For the second consecutive year, over 4,500 European patents were filed by Italians in one year.

The two most significant innovations reported are the growth of European filings originating from Italian provinces and an increase in filings of applications in the area of green tech.

Growth of filings in  provinces

While Milan, Bologna, Turin and Rome continue to lead the ranking in absolute terms but show no significant change, Unioncamere underlines the leap forward made by the provinces of Alessandria, Monza, Rimini, Ancona, Bari, Modena, Chieti and Vicenza, with double-digit increases, albeit on small numbers.

At regional level, Lombardy leads with 1484 patents, Emilia Romagna follows with 829 and Veneto is next with 668, all figures showing a slight increase on 2022.

Technology trends in Italian innovation

Unioncamere’s analysis attributes the greatest growth in Italian innovation to Green tech, in particular in Alternative energies, which see a 53% increase in European patent applications, in Energy storage which records a +39% and in Transport which is up +30%. Some areas that use Key Enabling Technologies are also growing, in particular those related to advanced manufacturing and micro and nano electronics.

As regards individual technology sectors, the greatest growth in 2023 was in Industrial tech: transport, Mechanics and lighting and Electricity.

Italy 10^th state of origin of patent filings abroad

According to the World Intellectual Property Indicators 2024 report of the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO), the number of patent applications filed abroad by Italian applicants in 2023 shows a modest growth compared to the previous year. For the fifth consecutive year, Italy ranks 10th state worldwide as originator state of patent filings abroad, with China in first position followed by the United States, Japan, South Korea, Germany, India, France, United Kingdom and Switzerland.

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