Study shows benefits of patents to small companies, EPO says

European Patent Office study finds holding intellectual property associated with higher revenues

Small and medium-sized enterprises that hold intellectual property rights on average have higher revenue per employee than companies that hold no such IPRs, a study by the European Patent Office and European Union Intellectual Property Office has found.

Patent ownership was associated with, on average, 36 per cent higher revenue per employee and 53 per cent higher wages than at companies that hold no such rights. Registered designs and trademarks were associated with 32 per cent and 21 per cent higher revenue, and 30 per cent and 17 per cent higher wages, respectively.