At a glance
| 2024 | 2025 | Changes in % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applications (patent applications with the DPMA and PCT patent applications after entering the national phase) | 59.261 | 62.050 | + 4,7 |
| Opened examination procedures | 44.351 | 45.628 | + 2,9 |
| Concluded examination procedures | 45.263 | 45.839 | + 1,3 |
| - published decisions to grant a patent | 23.944 | 24.475 | + 2,2 |
| Patents in force | 153.657 | 158.848 | + 3,4 |
Companies and institutions with the most patent applications in 2025
| Ranking | Applicant [1] | Seat | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Bosch GmbH | Germany | 4.109 |
| 2 | Mercedes-Benz Group AG | Germany | 2.726 |
| 3 | Bayerische Motoren Werke AG | Germany | 2.553 |
| 4 | AUDI AG | Germany | 1.912 |
| 5 | VOLKSWAGEN AG | Germany | 1.627 |
| 6 | Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG | Germany | 1.437 |
| 7 | Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG | Germany | 1.338 |
| 8 | GM Global Technology Operations LLC | USA | 1.193 |
| 9 | Ford Global Technologies, LLC | USA | 859 |
| 10 | ZF Friedrichshafen AG | Germany | 697 |
[1] Proportional counting in the case of several applicants; without taking into account any business intra-group affiliations.
Patent applications by German Länder in 2025
| German Länder | Applications | Percentage | Applications per 100,000 inhabitants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | 15.161 | 35,8 | 135 |
| Bavaria | 12.575 | 29,7 | 95 |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | 5.701 | 13,5 | 32 |
| Lower Saxony | 3.765 | 8,9 | 47 |
| Hesse | 1.114 | 2,6 | 18 |
| Hamburg | 684 | 1,6 | 37 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | 673 | 1,6 | 16 |
| Saxony | 568 | 1,3 | 14 |
| Thuringia | 510 | 1,2 | 24 |
| Berlin | 462 | 1,1 | 13 |
| Schleswig-Holstein | 406 | 1,0 | 14 |
| Brandenburg | 217 | 0,5 | 8 |
| Saxony-Anhalt | 173 | 0,4 | 8 |
| Bremen | 120 | 0,3 | 17 |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pommerania | 111 | 0,3 | 7 |
| Saarland | 109 | 0,3 | 11 |
| Germany | 42.349 | 100 | 51 |
TOP 5 Fields of technology [1]
| No | Field of technology (sector) | Applications in 2024 | Applications in 2025 | Changes in % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | Transport (mechanical engineering) | 11.172 | 11.604 | + 3,9 |
| 1 | Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (electrical engineering) | 8.285 | 8.908 | + 7,5 |
| 10 | Measurement (instruments) | 4.727 | 4.848 | + 2,6 |
| 6 | Computer technology (electrical engineering) | 3.316 | 3.679 | + 10,9 |
| 31 | Mechanical elements (mechanical engineering) | 3.417 | 3.298 | - 3,5 |
[1] According to the WIPO IPC-Technology Concordance Table.
The Leading fields of technology [1] in the individual German Länder in 2025
| German Länder | Nr. | Field of technology | Applications | Changes in % to 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | 32 | Transport | 3.345 | - 4,2 |
| 1 | Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy | 2.147 | - 5,8 | |
| 10 | Measurement | 1.482 | + 0,7 | |
| Bavaria | 32 | Transport | 3.212 | + 25,8 |
| 1 | Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy | 1.905 | + 5,1 | |
| 10 | Measurement | 931 | + 17,3 | |
| Berlin | 13 | Medical technology | 49 | + 6,5 |
| 1 | Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy | 36 | + 38,5 | |
| 6 | Computer technology | 35 | - 27,1 | |
| 32 | Transport | 35 | - 7,9 | |
| Brandenburg | 27 | Engines, pumps, turbines | 39 | + 30,0 |
| 30 | Thermal processes and apparatus | 19 | + 375,0 | |
| 35 | Civil engineering | 15 | + 7,1 | |
| Bremen | 10 | Measurement | 34 | + 13,3 |
| 1 | Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy | 17 | - 54,1 | |
| 32 | Transport | 14 | + 40,0 | |
| Hamburg | 14 | Organic fine chemistry | 137 | + 149,1 |
| 32 | Transport | 110 | + 25,0 | |
| 25 | Handling | 49 | - 15,5 | |
| Hesse | 13 | Medical technology | 132 | + 18,9 |
| 10 | Measurement | 98 | + 3,2 | |
| 1 | Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy | 88 | + 8,6 | |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 6 | Computer technology | 14 | - |
| 10 | Measurement | 13 | + 1.200,0 | |
| 1 | Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy | 12 | + 300,0 | |
| Lower Saxony | 32 | Transport | 1.059 | + 9,2 |
| 1 | Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy | 577 | + 84,3 | |
| 10 | Measurement | 280 | + 7,3 | |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | 1 | Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy | 717 | +11,7 |
| 35 | Civil engineering | 520 | -8,0 | |
| 10 | Measurement | 435 | +14,2 | |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | 35 | Civil engineering | 92 | + 8,2 |
| 32 | Transport | 89 | + 12,7 | |
| 31 | Mechanical elements | 43 | - 15,7 | |
| Saarland | 6 | Computer technology | 16 | + 433,3 |
| 23 | Chemical engineering | 14 | + 55,5 | |
| 31 | Mechanical elements | 10 | - 56,5 | |
| Saxony | 1 | Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy | 55 | - 23,6 |
| 10 | Measurement | 53 | + 3,9 | |
| 6 | Computer technology | 39 | + 2,6 | |
| Saxony-Anhalt | 8 | Semiconductors | 35 | + 118,8 |
| 10 | Measurement | 19 | + 375,0 | |
| 6 | Computer technology | 12 | + 300,0 | |
| Schleswig-Holstein | 13 | Medical technology | 45 | + 9,8 |
| 10 | Measurement | 40 | + 48,1 | |
| 19 | Basic materials chemistry | 38 | - 22,4 | |
| Thuringia | 9 | Optics | 100 | - 22,5 |
| 13 | Medical technology | 81 | - 13,8 | |
| 10 | Measurement | 64 | + 14,3 |
[1] According to the WIPO IPC-Technology Concordance Table.