By Amara Graps
Patents: The Intention
Patents are more than just legal protections; they signify innovation, financial backing, and may even hold clues to technological advancements that have been kept under wraps. In the world of quantum technologies, patents play a crucial role in establishing credibility and driving progress.
- Indicate strong support for an idea
- Demonstrate the level of innovation
- Manifest the financial support to gain a technology
- Give social benefit points (China)
- May be the only evidence of a technology that was developed, tested, and announced but remains undisclosed (Lockheed Martin’s “Dark Ice”)
In Europe, competition for quantum technology patents is fierce, with the continent trailing behind the United States and China in key categories like quantum computing, communication, and sensing.
The European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC) recently released a report highlighting the global patent landscape in quantum technologies. The report raised concerns about Europe’s position in the market and the potential risks faced by European companies if they have to rely on technologies from non-European entities.
To address the issue, QuIC suggests increased investments in academic institutions, businesses, and start-ups engaged in quantum technology research. They also recommend a robust intellectual property policy that encourages new inventions to be filed with the European Patent Office.
Figure. Top 25 assignees in Quantum Technologies ranked on European patents and patent applications. Figure from EQIC’s January 2024 Report: A Portrait of the Global Patent Landscape in Quantum Technologies
September 12, 2024