Patent Filings Triple as Indian Startups and Educational Institutions Reap Government Incentives

New Delhi, Aug 12 (KNN) In a remarkable development for India's intellectual property landscape, recent years have witnessed a significant upswing in patent filings from startups, small businesses, and educational institutions.

This surge is largely attributed to the government's proactive measures to foster innovation and strengthen intellectual property rights, with fee concessions playing a pivotal role.

The Commerce and Industry Ministry reports that patent filings across all three categories have seen triple-digit percentage increases in 2023-24 compared to pre-concession years.

The government's initiative to offer substantial fee reductions – 75 per cent for startups and MSMEs and 50 per cent for trademark application filings – has been a game-changer in promoting intellectual property protection.

Educational institutions have emerged as the most dramatic beneficiaries of these policies. Following the introduction of fee concessions in September 2021, patent applications from Indian educational institutions skyrocketed from 7,405 in 2021-22 to an impressive 23,306 in 2023-24.

Foreign educational institutions also increased their engagement, with applications rising from 96 to 237 over the same period.

The National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission (NIPAM), launched in December 2021, has played a crucial role in this transformation.

The ministry reports that over 2 million individuals have received training on intellectual property rights through this initiative, significantly boosting awareness and expertise across the country.

Startups, too, have shown remarkable progress. Indian startup patent filings have more than tripled, rising from 801 in 2018-19 to 2,546 in 2023-24.

The Scheme for Facilitating Start-ups Intellectual Property Protection (SIPP) has been instrumental in this growth, providing pro bono facilitation by empanelled IP experts and government-funded facilitation fees.

Small entities have also benefited greatly, with Indian small entity filings increasing more than fivefold from 607 in 2018-19 to 3,421 in 2023-24. Foreign small entity applications, while fluctuating, peaked at 429 in 2022-23 before settling at 128 in 2023-24.

These efforts have culminated in a historic milestone: the Indian patent office granted an unprecedented 100,000 patents in the fiscal year 2023-24.

To manage this increased workload, the ministry has bolstered its technical manpower, promoting officers to controller positions and engaging young professionals and technical assistants on a contractual basis.

(KNN Bureau)