Advisory report 30: Strengthening Flanders' technology position with regard to patents

With this new advisory report, VARIO answers a question from the Minister of Innovation in response to an earlier VARIO advisory report on the interpretation of core indicators for science and innovation. This showed that in an international comparison, Flanders ranked in the middle of the scale for the core indicator patents.

This ranking was further explored. Among other things, VARIO came to the following findings:

• Flanders ranks top with regard to patent applications by knowledge institutions. Both for higher education institutions and government/public knowledge institutions, Flanders has a top international position.
• The Flemish ranking with regard to patent applications by companies is 'rather average' and Flanders is behind the benchmark countries.

VARIO then looked at a number of patent quality indicators in more detail. On these, VARIO has the following findings:

• For the indicator 'international patent families', Flanders ranks 'rather average'. This indicator, which is a proxy for economic impact, thus rather confirms Flanders' position in the VARIO core indicator.
• For the indicator 'highly cited patents', Flanders ranks 3rd after Switzerland and Denmark. Our high ranking for this indicator, which is a proxy for technological impact, may somewhat positively nuance the interpretation of Flanders' rather average position for the VARIO core indicator for patents.

These observations were complemented by an analysis of current patent policy. VARIO makes a number of recommendations in this regard:

1. Take into account limitations of indicators.
2. Make refinements to the Flemish patent data.
3. Include additional quality-oriented patent indicators in the structural monitoring of science, technology and innovation policy indicators.
4. he elaboration and interpretation of the indicators can be assigned to ECOOM.
5. Provide a Flemish strategy and action plan on intellectual property for SMEs.
   1. Maintain and strengthen awareness actions.
   2. Embed entrepreneurship and intellectual property in training courses.
   3. Streamline services.
   4. Provide financial support.
   5. Use our excellent knowledge landscape as a lever for Flemish SMEs.
6. Handle KPIs for patents at knowledge institutions with caution.
   1. Make sure KPIs do not get in the way of collaboration.
   2. Combine KPIs for patents at knowledge institutions with a narrative on societal valorisation.