Last year, only 463 patent applications were filed in the Czech Republic— the lowest number in history. Since 1995, when the records began, the number of applications has been steadily decreasing. For comparison, in 2013, 983 applications were filed.
The main reasons for the decline, according to the head of the patent office, Jana Engelova Pávková, include low awareness of patent protection and the practice of “offshore patents,” where inventions are owned by foreign companies. Despite the decline, Czech companies are registering patents more actively abroad: the number of applications to the European Patent Office grew by 8.6% over the year, and by 6.2% in the U.S.
Among companies, Škoda Auto leads with 141 patents, followed by Linet, specializing in medical beds. Among universities, the Czech Technical University in Prague stands out with 213 patents, and among government institutions, the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences.
In 2023, the following were patented:
A nanofiber material for therapy, created in collaboration by three universities.
A suspended fire extinguisher from Amplla.
An innovative hospital bed with an automatic parts return system from Linet.
