if you want to describe how quickly our world is evolving, you can use to following number: every minute, around 40 IP rights are filed world-wide. This was calculated by the World Intellectual Property Organization last year. And it means that almost every second, someone somewhere is applying for an IP right — for example, because they invented something new or developed a new design. Or because they want to use a trade mark for the distribution of new products and services. By the time you finish reading this text, around 100 additional creative accomplishments will have been registered. What a tremendous potential for change!

Sometimes the crises in our world cast a dark shadow over our mood; at times, it is difficult to still believe in productive solutions. This is why I find it incredibly rewarding to work in an environment where we see proof of the creative power of humanity every day. And the application numbers all over the world show: the option to protect intellectual property enables us to harness this power. Even Werner von Siemens back then considered patent protection to be crucial for advancing industrial progress. Let me put it in more general terms: the protection of intellectual property is a driving force for solving social challenges.

Our annual report illustrates what this means in practice: quantum technology is considered to be the next key technology with as much ground-breaking potential as artificial intelligence. For example, in research, high-performance computers using this technology could carry out simulations of complex processes. Instead of testing multiple substances in a laboratory, they could calculate their effect without using a single real test subject. Our analysis shows that the number of published patent applications with effect for Germany in this field has increased significantly in the last ten years. The same applies to patent applications in the field of battery technology, which enables electromobility and the effective use of renewable energy. And the number of inventions for solar technology and wind turbines remains high as well. At the same time, the enormous increase in trade mark applications is proof of the general huge interest to operate on the German market.

The German Patent and Trade Mark Office actively supports these developments with our strong commitment to offer examinations of the highest quality and to carry out procedures as efficiently as possible: we have noticeably increased the number of completions in almost all divisions. But we also play a significant role in raising awareness of the value of IP rights, especially among SMEs, and in educating the public about the importance of intellectual property. You can find out what we do and how to use our services on the following pages. Because one thing is clear: the protection of IP rights is not the exclusive right of a few experts or big enterprises. It offers advantages for everyone and is there for all of us!

I hope you enjoy this report — and stay innovative!

Yours, Eva Schewior