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DPMA annual figures for 2025: considerable increase in inventions

Significant increase in innovative activity concerning digital technologies and electric mobility – automotive industry remained the strongest sector – booming demand for trade mark protection, in part because of Chinese applicants and online platforms – DPMA President: it is a good sign that IP protection continues to be a high priority for companies

Press release of 10 March 2026

Munich. Last year, there was again a considerable increase in the demand for IP rights for the German market. In 2025, the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) saw far more applications for patents, trade marks and utility models than in the previous year. The number of patent applications rose by 4.7% to 62,050, that of trade mark applications even increased by 19.8% to 96,328; utility model applications climbed by 19.3% to 11,427. The number of design applications was up 5.9% to 4,183. The DPMA was once again very efficient and increased the number of concluded registration and examination procedures in almost all areas, even achieving a double-digit increase in the trade mark and utility model areas.

In the patent area, 42,349 applications came from German companies, research institutions and independent inventors, whereas 19,701 applications came from abroad. Patent applications are internationally classified into the following sectors: “Electricity”, “Instruments” (technical), “Chemistry”, “Mechanical engineering”, and “Other fields”. These sectors are divided into technology fields, which themselves consist of defined technical subclasses. Last year, the strongest sector in terms of applications at the DPMA was once again “Mechanical engineering” with 24,338 applications (+2.2%), followed by “Electricity” (19,436, +9.1%), “Instruments” (9,376, +1.9%), “Chemistry” (4,613, +5.2%) and “Other fields” (3,895, -0.3%), which combines civil engineering, furniture, games and other consumer goods.

Innovation drivers: artificial intelligence, mobile communications, automation

A strong innovative activity concerning digital technologies and battery technology is the main reason why the increase in the “Electricity” sector was far above average (+9.1%). In the strong technology field “Computer technology”, patent applications rose by 10.9% to 3,679. This field includes inventions relating to image data processing and speech recognition, many of which use artificial intelligence. In the “Digital communication” field, the DPMA saw an even higher increase, at 1,222 applications (+19.2%). Many inventions in this field are related to the latest mobile network standards (5G/6G) and are thus important for the digital interconnectedness in a number of key technologies.

There was an enormous growth in the technology field “IT methods for management” (+59.7%), where 867 applications were received in total. The field includes, for example, procedures for energy and water supply, for manufacturing and production, for workflow control or for materials and inventory management – mostly with a view to increasing management efficiency. A specific example is the communication of electric vehicles with the recharging infrastructure. Related inventions doubled to almost 150. In some areas, the strong growth is driven by the possibilities of artificial intelligence.

All top 10 applicants from the automotive industry

The DPMA saw an above-average increase with respect to applications in the technology field “Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy” (+7.5%). This field includes the strongest of all subclasses (H01M), which combines batteries and fuel cells and which also saw a considerable increase (+13.4%). The most active applicants in this field are carmakers and suppliers from Germany and abroad.

In the patent area, the automotive industry was the strongest industry at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office. As in the previous years, all of the top 10 applicants in 2025 were carmakers and suppliers. They accounted for approximately 30% of all patent applications filed. With 4,109 applications, first place went to Robert Bosch GmbH, followed by Mercedes-Benz Group AG (2,726) and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (2,553), which came in second and third, respectively.

Electric drives remained a growing innovative field

As a consequence, “Transport”, where most applicants belong to the automotive industry, was once again by far the strongest technology field with 11,604 applications (+3.9%). The advancement of electric drives and the related components remained a growing innovative field. The development of information and entertainment systems in cars (infotainment) also played an increasing role. The subclass that includes, among other things, car instruments once again rose significantly. For example, innovations include new displays (head-up-displays) and options to operate instruments in the driver’s cab by voice and gestures. In addition, there is a strong increase in inventions enhancing the user-friendliness of the instrumentation in cars – for example, by saving individual driver profiles to personalise the vehicle. In addition to convenience-oriented functions, safety-relevant electrical components, e.g. for autonomous driving, require innovative solutions for a fail-safe power supply in cars. There is a considerable rise in the number of such inventions, too.
The trend towards a decline in inventions for internal combustion engines continued, albeit at a lower level. In 2025, after some years of decline, the technology field “Engines, pumps, turbines”, which is particularly relevant in this regard, rose by 2.8%. While there was a fall in applications by German companies, the DPMA received considerably more applications from abroad – especially from Japan and the United States of America – compared to the previous year.

Patent applications: Baden-Württemberg continued to be ahead of Bavaria

The DPMA also evaluates the distribution of patent applications among the individual German Länder. In the German Länder ranking, Baden-Württemberg, with 15,161 applications (-2.2%), once again took first place. Second place once again went to Bavaria, which considerably increased its applications to 12,575 (+10.6%). As in the previous year, North Rhine-Westphalia came in third with 5,701 applications (+6.7%). If you compare the number of applications to the respective population, Baden-Württemberg, with 135 patent applications per 100,000 population, was ahead of Bavaria (95) and Lower Saxony (47). These are the German Länder where the big German carmakers are based.

Technological inventions can also be protected by utility models. Utility models offer quick protection for devices and apparatus, but, unlike patents, they are not examined for novelty and inventive step prior to registration. Compared to patents, utility models are often applied for by individuals. This group of applicants contributed substantially to the strong growth last year. Utility model applications filed by natural persons were up 46.6%. In total, the share of applications by natural persons rose by approximately 5 percentage points to 39.5%. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in applications by Chinese companies (+35.9%).

Nearly 200% increase in trade mark applications from China

One of the main reasons for the strong increase in trade mark applications last year was the soaring demand from China, at 10,027 applications (previous year: 3,385 applications, +196.2%). There was also a significant increase in the number of applications from the United States of America, at 1,103 (previous year: 549 applications, +100.9%). This indicates a considerable increase in the economic activity from these two countries in the German market. Demand from Germany also rose significantly (+12%). What also has to be taken into consideration in the case of trade marks: major online trading platforms require that sellers hold IP rights to become active on the platform.

Every trade mark application must define the classes of goods or services to which protection relates. From 2024 to 2025, the class of goods 9 (“Electronic apparatus and instruments; computer hardware; software; optical devices”) saw the strongest increase: it was indicated in 20,823 applications (+38.9%). Considering all classes of goods and services, the DPMA finds that “AI” (artificial intelligence), or “KI” (Künstliche Intelligenz), is a very frequent element of word marks or combined word/figurative marks applied for.

As with patents, the DPMA evaluates how trade mark applications are distributed among the German Länder. The German Länder mentioned with regard to patents also took the first three places in the trade mark ranking, but in reverse order: North Rhine-Westphalia, with 24,499 applications, was far ahead of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, with 12,316 and 9,249 applications, respectively. If the respective population is considered, Hamburg took first place with 185 trade mark applications per 100,000 population, followed by Berlin (144) and North Rhine-Westphalia (136), which came in second and third, respectively.

Importance of 3D printing for design protection

Strong performance record of the DPMA in 2025

The performance of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office in 2025 was good: its patent examiners concluded 45,839 examination procedures (+1.3%). In particular, the high number of granted patents (24,475, +2.2%) is a pleasing development. In 21,364 cases, no patent was granted – because the examiners refused the application, the applicants withdrew it or due fees were not paid. Accordingly, the grant rate was 53.4%.

In the trade mark area, the DPMA concluded 82,542 registration procedures (+10.2%), 55,863 of which by registration of a trade mark in the register. In addition, the office concluded 27,161 design registration procedures (-11.5%) and 10,838 registration procedures for utility models (+9.2%). In 9,750 cases, utility models were registered in the register.

Budget: DPMA increased its income

In 2025, the DPMA closed with a surplus of 232.6 million euros. The surplus was 1.8% higher than in the previous year and will benefit the federal budget. The income, almost entirely generated from fees, was 531.9 million euros (+7.6%). Expenditure amounted to 299.3 million euros (+12.5%).

Strong performance record of the DPMA in 2025

The performance of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office in 2025 was good: its patent examiners concluded 45,839 examination procedures (+1.3%). In particular, the high number of granted patents (24,475, +2.2%) is a pleasing development. In 21,364 cases, no patent was granted – because the examiners refused the application, the applicants withdrew it or due fees were not paid. Accordingly, the grant rate was 53.4%.

In the trade mark area, the DPMA concluded 82,542 registration procedures (+10.2%), 55,863 of which by registration of a trade mark in the register. In addition, the office concluded 27,161 design registration procedures (-11.5%) and 10,838 registration procedures for utility models (+9.2%). In 9,750 cases, utility models were registered in the register.

Budget: DPMA increased its income

In 2025, the DPMA closed with a surplus of 232.6 million euros. The surplus was 1.8% higher than in the previous year and will benefit the federal budget. The income, almost entirely generated from fees, was 531.9 million euros (+7.6%). Expenditure amounted to 299.3 million euros (+12.5%).

The German Patent and Trade Mark Office

Inventiveness and creativity need effective protection. The DPMA is the German centre of expertise for all intellectual property rights – patents, utility models, trade marks and designs. As the largest national patent office in Europe and the sixth largest national patent office in the world, our office stands for the future of Germany as a country of inventors in a globalised economy. Its staff of just under 2,800 at three locations – Munich, Jena and Berlin – provide services to inventors and companies. They implement federal innovation strategies and develop the national, European and international protection systems.

Pictures: iStock.com/goir

Last updated: 10 March 2026