(Publ. 12 JUN 2017) Sweden is ranked second in the list of international patent applications (PCT applications) per million inhabitants. Switzerland holds the top spot on the list and Japan is in third place.

Statistics show that in 2016, Sweden submitted approximately 370 international patent applications per one million inhabitants. The corresponding figure for the number one country, Switzerland, was approximately 530 applications, and for Japan in third place approximately 350.

About a quarter of the applications from Sweden concerns digital communication technology, 8% concern transport and freight, and 6% concern machine elements. Like previous years, Ericsson and Scania are accountable for a large part of the applications.

Looking at the statistics of submitted international patent applications in absolute terms, i.e. without adjustment for population, Sweden is in tenth place, the same ranking as 2015. United States, Japan and China holds the first three places, and are together accountable for 62% of all international patent applications. Globally, the number of filed international patent applications increased by 7.3% in 2016.

The statistics above are from the Swedish patent office’s, PRV’s, Statistical Yearbook 2016, published on June 1, 2017. The entire book in Swedish can be read here>>