Financing and commercialisation of cleantech innovation

Jointly produced by the European Patent Office and the European Investment Bank, this report documents the patenting trends in cleantech by covering a wide range of different technology fields that enhance energy efficiency, leverage sustainable resources, decrease pollution and waste, and combat climate change's negative effects. Patent data illustrate the geographical distribution of patenting activity in cleantech and identify the main contributors, with Europe at the forefront. The analysis shows that very large corporations contribute the most to cleantech patenting; however, most of the innovators are enterprises with fewer than 5 000 employees. Based on a new full-scale survey of cleantech innovators, this study provides a comprehensive inventory and assessment of EU companies with fewer than 5 000 employees that innovate in cleantech. These innovation-driven businesses typically rely on recombining existing technologies or leveraging emerging technologies rooted in science and advanced engineering that offer significant advances over those currently in use. As a result, they also often face higher upfront R&D investment, a combination of technology and market risks, and a longer transition period from research to actual industry applications. Patent protection is instrumental in securing the legal exclusivity needed to develop and bring new technology to market.