Innovation & IP Asset Consulting
Convergence for divergent trends

THE LEAD LESSENS IN SPITE OF EUROPES INNOVATION POWER

Munich May 2014: Although Europe continues to bring groundbreaking inventions on the market, the President of the European Patent Office in Munich, Benoît Battistelli, in his article of 20 May 2014 in Handelsblatt warned that the lead is diminishing. Although very strict procurement procedures of the EPA guarantee an actual innovation, thereby granting trivial patents and so-called “patent trolls” are prevented from competing against new economies such as China and South Korea. However, Europe must urgently optimize conditions for venture capital, research, development and invest a greater networking of academic and corporate world. To continue to compete internationally and to catch up on business areas such as digital communication and consumer electronics again, innovation-friendly conditions for companies must be created.

GERMANY LANDS ON PLACE 3 IN EU INNOVATION RANKINg

In the so-called Performance Innovation Union Scoreboard 2014 for Research and Innovation, Germany still falls in the category of innovation performance well above the EU average, but slips below Sweden and Denmark at rank 3, followed by Finland. Germany’s innovative growth grew strongly while Sweden’s growth rate is almost stagnant. Only in the area of ​​the science, regarding open, excellent and attractive research systems, does Germany fall behind the average. Denmark is here above all others this year’s front-runner.

When Europe is viewed as a whole, Switzerland retains its position as the absolute leader of innovation, and in global terms South Korea, the U.S. and Japan still stand before the EU. While the EU is catching up to the U.S. and Japan, South Korea’s lead stretches even further. In international comparison, the EU, however, is still before Australia and Canada as well as in front of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). However, China is on track to close its gap of 44% of the innovation performance.

Less strong EU Member States must catch up and in a global context, the EU should not remain standing still. Above all, the culture of innovation needs to be further promoted with a focus on networking and entrepreneurship.

Climate protection: China better than Germany

Sydney, March 2013: Since 2005 the Australia based and independent Climate Institute ranks countries according to their efforts in favor of sustainable climate protection. According to a recently published list, China has climbed to rank 3 in view of massive investments into environmental protection measures. Germany has dropped to rank 6. France is the leading the ranking, followed by Japan, China, South Korea and Great Brittan.