Details from the statistics - Thuringia leads East Germany in patents
Munich/Erfurt /dpa/th) - Thuringia justifies its reputation as the land of inventors. According to data from the German Patent and Trademark Office in Munich, Thuringia ranked among the German states in terms of patent applications in the past year, surpassing several western German federal states.
Thuringia had 24 patent applications per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, nearly double the number in neighboring Saxony with 13 and significantly more than in Brandenburg with 8, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern with 7, and Saxony-Anhalt with 6 applications per 100,000 inhabitants. The state, which excelled in optics and medical technology, as well as innovations in machines and devices, also surpassed countries like Rhineland-Palatinate (15 per 100,000 inhabitants) and Schleswig-Holstein (13 per 100,000 inhabitants).
Hub of optical industry
Experts find this noteworthy because there are no major corporations with well-staffed research and development departments based in Thuringia. Thuringia has been a hub for the optical industry and, increasingly, medical technology, which is known for its innovation, for decades. Research is also heavily focused in Jena.
From the raw number of patent applications, the small state ranks only in the middle among the federal states. In total, local companies, research institutions, and individual inventors submitted 38,469 patents nationwide in the past year - a 3.4% increase from the previous year. Native companies, research institutions, and individual inventors submitted 502 patents from Thuringia, the second-highest number in Eastern Germany after Saxony with 544 applications.
Overall, domestic companies, research institutions, and individual inventors submitted 38,469 patents nationwide in the past year - a 3.4% increase from the previous year. A significant portion of the applications came from companies, with the German Patent and Trademark Office once again playing a crucial role in the automotive industry. Among the federal states, Baden-Württemberg led the way with a substantial margin - it is home to the headquarters of Bosch and Mercedes-Benz. The state accounted for 14,648 patent applications, a 9% increase from 2022.
- Despite being a small state, Thuringia, located in Germany, impressively outperformed several western German federal states in terms of patent applications in 2023.
- Thuringia, known as the Free State of Thuringia or Thüringen in East Germany, ranks among the top in patent applications per 100,000 inhabitants, surpassing Saxony, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and Saxony-Anhalt.
- The company based in Erfurt, Thuringia, contributed to the state's significant number of patent applications, making it the second-highest in Eastern Germany after Saxony.
- Munich, home to the German Patent and Trademark Office, released data showing that Thuringia had 24 patent applications per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, considerably higher than neighboring states like Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
- Thuringia's innovation in medical technology, optics, and innovations in machines and devices led to its success in patent applications, as indicated by the data from the German Patent and Trademark Office in Munich.
- In the neighboring state of Brandenburg, Germany, the number of patent applications was significantly lower than in Thuringia, with just 8 applications per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023.
- Saxony, one of the neighboring states to Thuringia, had 13 patent applications per 100,000 inhabitants, showing that Thuringia excelled in the field of patent applications compared to its neighboring regions.
