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Sharp rise in German patent applications for digital technologies

New DPMA analysis: artificial intelligence and digital networking – German companies make up ground in important areas of their domestic market. DPMA President: it concerns prosperity and digital sovereignty – consistent protection of intellectual property is the foundation for economic success.

Press release of 16 April 2026

Munich. The number of patent applications filed by German companies and research institutions that were published for digital key technologies saw a substantial increase last year. In 2025, a total of 5,051 domestic applications with effect in the German market were published in the fields most important for digitisation – an increase of 12.3% compared to the previous year. Looking at the international ranking, Germany is in fifth place behind the USA, China, the Republic of Korea and Japan. It experienced the second-biggest increase within the Top 5, behind China with 14.4%. Growth was particularly strong for German companies in the field of technology “Computer technology” (+20.5%), which saw the most applications and which accounts for a significant part of inventions relating to artificial intelligence. No other country in the Top 5 had a higher percentage increase in this area. The numbers are part of a current analysis by the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA).

“The positive trend regarding digital key technologies gives us hope that we can shape future markets. This not only concerns our prosperity, but also our digital sovereignty: the more competitive our technologies are, the stronger our position on the international stage,” DPMA President Eva Schewior said. “Germany, with its strong industrial enterprises, innovative start-ups and medium-sized businesses as well as excellent research institutions, has everything it needs to also take the lead in the sector of digital technologies. The consistent and strategic protection of intellectual property plays a central role in this context. Today´s patent applications provide the foundation for tomorrow´s innovative products.”

Analysis of digital technologies in detail

For the analysis of digitisation, we looked at the patent applications published with effect in Germany at the DPMA and the European Patent Office (without double counts). Patent applications are published after 18 months. For this reason, inventions newly filed in 2025 are not yet included. Besides “Computer technology”, we also surveyed the fields of technology “Digital communication”, “Semiconductors”, “Audio-visual technology” and “IT methods for business management”.
The total number of patent applications also saw a significant growth. In 2025, we registered 52,037 publications by national and international applicants across all fields of technology – that corresponds to an increase of 6.4% compared to last year.

Computer technology

Most applications belong to the field of “Computer technology” (19,028; +9.4 %). This includes, among others, inventions regarding image data processing, speech recognition as well as information and communication technology. Many of these innovations use artificial intelligence or machine learning. Looking at the international ranking, the USA (6,779 publications; +5.4%) is far ahead of China (2,629; + 18.1%) and Germany (2,510; +20.5 %).
The top applicants for computer technology are the South Korean company Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. with 885 patent applications, followed by Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC from the USA (780) and the Chinese company Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (756). Robert Bosch GmbH (646) is in fourth place.

Digital communication technology

“Digital communication technology” is the second-strongest field with 17,968 publications (+5.2%). Many applications concerning digital communication technology are related to the latest mobile communications standards (5G/6G) and are thus important for the digital connectivity in a number of key technologies. Here, too, the USA (5,497 applications; +7%) topped the ranking ahead of China (5,222; +15.1%), which is followed by the Republic of Korea with 2,073 applications (+21.9%). Germany accounts for 730 applications, which represents a significant growth in this central field of technology (+10.1%) and made it advance from seventh to sixth place.
When it comes to companies, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. moved up to first place (1,854 applications), overtaking American Qualcomm Inc. (1,846), which is now in second place. The third place goes to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (981).

Semiconductors

The third-highest number of applications was published for the field of semiconductors (6,433; +4.0%). Semiconductor components are crucial for the processing and storing of data and therefor for the continued digitisation. Again, the USA top the ranking (1,321 applications; +13.1%), followed by the Republic of Korea (1,142; +0.2%) and Japan (1,099; -10.3%). Germany was in fifth place: 675 applications equal a decrease by 4.1%.
The list of top applicants is headed by the South Korean company Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. with 374 applications. In second place, Intel Corporation from the USA (310) follows, with yet another South Korean company, Samsung Display Co., Ltd. (297), behind.

Audio-visual technology

The field of audio-visual technology, which also covers inventions regarding virtual reality (VR) as well as augmented reality (AR), comes in fourth place (6,239; +9.2 %). These areas especially offer great opportunities for the industry’s future: by creating models of their “digital twins”, everything ranging from products and machines to industrial facilities can be visualised virtually. The USA has the highest number of applications (1,389; +11.4%), ahead of China (1,186; +7.9%) and the Republic of Korea (873; +3.8%). With 749 published applications and a significant increase of 16.7%, Germany takes fifth place.
Regarding applicants, once again Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. heads the list (312), followed by Huawei Technologies Co. (227), Ltd. and LG Electronics Inc. (225).

IT methods for business management

The fewest applications were published in the field of technology “IT methods for business management” (2,370; -6.7%). This sector includes procedures for services such as reservations and event bookings, workflow control, corporate or organisational planning as well as materials and inventory management. In the international ranking, the USA (792; -14.3%) is ahead of Japan (416; +3%), followed by Germany (388; -4.7%).
The number of applications per company is rather low in this sector, as well as very close together. Siemens AG (47) leads this ranking, ahead of Mercedes-Benz Group AG (44) and the Japanese Hitachi Ltd. (39).

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 around 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.

Bild: iStock.com/DmitriyTitov

Last updated: 16 April 2026