World IP day – small entities, big impact
4月 28, 2020
With World IP Day 2020 celebrating the theme of a greener future, when it comes to innovation in green technology, it is not just the major corporations that are making the difference. A lot of smaller entities are also working on technologies that could have a significant impact on our planet. New findings from Anaqua’s patent search and analytics tool, AcclaimIP, show that, when it comes to “green” patent filings, small entities – based on the USPTO definition – are having an outsized impact on the planet and our environment.
David T. Dickens, Senior Technical Support Engineer at Anaqua, tells us more:
“This patent space is dominated by both US and international universities, with the University of California leading the way with 489 total patents – including active and pending. Korea’s Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute comes in second with 247 (active/pending) patents, and Xyleco Inc., a privately held scientific research and manufacturing company, is third with 228.
“Reviewing recent patents and established technologies in green innovation this World IP Day gives us hope. There are countless companies, universities, and research establishments working hard to make our environment and our world better for the future.
“[O]ne of the more popular and interesting green-related spaces is the area of nanotechnology. Broadly, this includes a vast range of applications and technologies that can be used to combat climate change, from improvements to battery and battery storage efficiency to more powerful solar panels and even stronger filters for water treatment and desalination and capturing greenhouse gasses.
“When taking a look at all patents in which nanotech is used to combat climate change, we find that Small Entities account for almost half (41%) of the inventions, playing a big part in the space.
“Small companies and universities are just as engaged as large corporations, ensuring that the power to enact positive, meaningful change can rest in all of our hands.”