In 2021, Portuguese inventors submitted 286 patent applications to the European Patent Office (IEP). This is an increase of around 14% compared to the same period in the previous year, reports Jornal de Negócios.

Data released reveals a high growth in patent applications in the area of ​​computer technology, with the numbers almost tripling, as well as in the transport sector, with an increase of 114%.

An official source from the IEP indicates that these numbers place Portugal as the “strongest country in Europe (among the countries with more than 200 patent applications)”.

In addition, the entity also highlights that Portugal was more than five times above the average growth rate of the European Union, which stood at 2.7%. According to the same newspaper, the University of Minho was one of the entities that stood out the most, having presented patents on autonomous driving, displays, equipment and car software to facilitate driving or support entertainment.