Companies owning at least one patent, registered trade mark or design generate higher revenues per employee, and pay higher wages, than companies owning none of those registered intellectual property rights (IPRs).
A study published by the European Patent Office and European Union Intellectual Property Office analysed the relationship between intellectual property rights and firm performance in the EU, confirming that companies who own IPRs generate higher revenue per employee, create more employment and pay higher wages than counterparts without an IP portfolio.
According to the study, patent ownership benefitted firms while also showing that patents and other IPRs are important assets for the success of small businesses. The EPO helps smaller firms and new entrants with targeted fee reductions and rebates, while the Unitary Patent also reduces costs and complexity for users of Europe’s patent system, which is popular with SMEs.