Patent applicants and applications; SIC 2008 and company size

Changed on: 03/08/2026 02:00

Patent applicants and applications; SIC 2008 and company size
Country (UCI)	SIC 2008	Company size	Periods	EPO-Patent applicants (number)	EPO-Patent applications (number)	EPO-Patent Applicants with foreign cooperation (number)	EPO-Patent Applications with foreign cooperation (number)	OCNL-Patent Patent applicants (number)	OCNL-Patent Patent applications (number)	OCNL-Patent Applicants with foreign cooperation (number)	OCNL-Patent Applications with foreign cooperation (number)
Total domestic and foreign	A-N Business economy and agriculture	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	660	1,065	10	15
Total domestic and foreign	A-N Business economy and agriculture	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	430	545	5	10
Total domestic and foreign	A-N Business economy and agriculture	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	130	220	5	5
Total domestic and foreign	A-N Business economy and agriculture	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	100	300	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	A-N Business economy and agriculture	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Total domestic and foreign	M-N Business services	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	195	275	5	5
Total domestic and foreign	M-N Business services	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	175	215	5	5
Total domestic and foreign	M-N Business services	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	10	25	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	M-N Business services	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	5	35	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	M-N Business services	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Total domestic and foreign	M Other specialised business services	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	175	255	5	5
Total domestic and foreign	M Other specialised business services	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	160	195	5	5
Total domestic and foreign	M Other specialised business services	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	10	25	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	M Other specialised business services	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	5	35	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	M Other specialised business services	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Total domestic and foreign	74 Other specialised business services	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	15	15	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	74 Other specialised business services	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	15	15	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	74 Other specialised business services	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Total domestic and foreign	74 Other specialised business services	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Total domestic and foreign	74 Other specialised business services	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Total domestic and foreign	N Renting and other business support	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	15	20	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	N Renting and other business support	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	15	20	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	N Renting and other business support	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	0	0	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	N Renting and other business support	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	0	0	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	N Renting and other business support	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Total domestic and foreign	82 Other business services	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	0	0	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	82 Other business services	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	0	0	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	82 Other business services	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Total domestic and foreign	82 Other business services	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Total domestic and foreign	82 Other business services	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Domestic	A-N Business economy and agriculture	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	565	870	10	10
Domestic	A-N Business economy and agriculture	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	410	510	5	10
Domestic	A-N Business economy and agriculture	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	95	165	0	0
Domestic	A-N Business economy and agriculture	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	60	190	0	0
Domestic	A-N Business economy and agriculture	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Domestic	M-N Business services	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	180	255	5	5
Domestic	M-N Business services	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	165	205	5	5
Domestic	M-N Business services	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	10	25	0	0
Domestic	M-N Business services	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	5	30	0	0
Domestic	M-N Business services	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Domestic	M Other specialised business services	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	165	240	5	5
Domestic	M Other specialised business services	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	155	190	5	5
Domestic	M Other specialised business services	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	10	20	0	0
Domestic	M Other specialised business services	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	5	30	0	0
Domestic	M Other specialised business services	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Domestic	74 Other specialised business services	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	15	15	0	0
Domestic	74 Other specialised business services	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	15	15	0	0
Domestic	74 Other specialised business services	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Domestic	74 Other specialised business services	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Domestic	74 Other specialised business services	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Domestic	N Renting and other business support	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	15	15	0	0
Domestic	N Renting and other business support	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	15	15	0	0
Domestic	N Renting and other business support	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	0	0	0	0
Domestic	N Renting and other business support	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	0	0	0	0
Domestic	N Renting and other business support	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Domestic	82 Other business services	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	0	0	0	0
Domestic	82 Other business services	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	0	0	0	0
Domestic	82 Other business services	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Domestic	82 Other business services	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Domestic	82 Other business services	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	A-N Business economy and agriculture	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	95	195	5	5
Foreign	A-N Business economy and agriculture	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	20	30	0	0
Foreign	A-N Business economy and agriculture	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	35	55	0	0
Foreign	A-N Business economy and agriculture	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	40	110	0	0
Foreign	A-N Business economy and agriculture	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	M-N Business services	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	10	15	0	0
Foreign	M-N Business services	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	10	10	0	0
Foreign	M-N Business services	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	0	0	0	0
Foreign	M-N Business services	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	0	5	0	0
Foreign	M-N Business services	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	M Other specialised business services	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	10	15	0	0
Foreign	M Other specialised business services	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	5	5	0	0
Foreign	M Other specialised business services	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	0	0	0	0
Foreign	M Other specialised business services	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	0	5	0	0
Foreign	M Other specialised business services	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	74 Other specialised business services	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	74 Other specialised business services	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	74 Other specialised business services	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	74 Other specialised business services	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	74 Other specialised business services	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	N Renting and other business support	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	0	5	0	0
Foreign	N Renting and other business support	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	0	5	0	0
Foreign	N Renting and other business support	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	N Renting and other business support	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	N Renting and other business support	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	82 Other business services	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	82 Other business services	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	82 Other business services	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	82 Other business services	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Foreign	82 Other business services	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-N Business economy and agriculture	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-N Business economy and agriculture	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-N Business economy and agriculture	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-N Business economy and agriculture	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-N Business economy and agriculture	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	M-N Business services	Total employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	M-N Business services	0 to 49 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	M-N Business services	50 to 249 employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	M-N Business services	250 and more employed persons	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	M-N Business services	Employed persons unknown	2023*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Source: CBS.

Explanation of symbols

Table explanation

This table gives an overview of the number of patent applicants and patent applications at the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). Patents can be granted to enterprises, universities, institutions, private persons or other entities as long as the invention which they cover fulfils certain criteria. To obtain a patent the invention must be novel, contain an inventive step and be industrially applicable. This is assessed by a patent office like the EPO or OCNL. The patent office will grant or reject the application.

The data are broken down by economic activity of the enterprise applying for a patent. For the classification by economic activity the Dutch Standard Industrial Classification (SIC 2008) is used. The data give an indication which branches are (most) innovative. Additionally, a breakdown by enterprise size class is available.

Data available from: 2011

Status of the figures:
The figures from 2011 to 2021 are final. The figures for 2022 are revised provisional. The figures for 2023 are provisional.

Changes as of August 3, 2026:
The figures for 2021 and 2022 have been adjusted and the provisional figures for 2023 have been added.

Changes as of February 27, 2026:
Provisional figures for 2021 and 2022 have been updated.

When will new figures be published?
Beginning of 2027 the figures for 2022 and 2023 will be updated. Mid 2027 the figures for 2022 and 2023 will be updated and new figures for 2024 will be added.

Description topics

EPO-Patent

A patent that is granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) is valid in all member countries of the EPO. However, the EPO patent must be validated at the national patent office in order to be effective in member countries.

applicants: Enterprises who applied for a patent at the European Patent Office (EPO)in the period observed.
A patent that is granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) is valid in all member countries of the EPO. However the EPO patent must be validated at the national patent office in order to be effective in member countries.

applications: Patent applications at the European Patent Office (EPO) in the period observed.
A patent that is granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) is valid in all member countries of the EPO. However the EPO patent must be validated at the national patent office in order to be effective in member countries.

Applicants with foreign cooperation: Enterprises who applied for a patent at the European Patent Office (EPO) in the period observed, where the Dutch applicant has cooperated with a foreign entity for any of its applications.

Applications with foreign cooperation: Patent applications at the European Patent Office (EPO) in the period observed, where the Dutch applicant has cooperated with a foreign entity for this specific application.

OCNL-Patent

A patent that is granted by NL Patent Office (OCNL), a division of Agency NL, is only valid in the Netherlands.

Patent applicants: Enterprises who applied for a patent at the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in the period observed.
A patent that is granted by NL Patent Office (OCNL), a division of Agency NL, is only valid in the Netherlands.

Patent applications: Patent applications at the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in the period observed.
A patent that is granted by NL Patent Office (OCNL), a division of Agency NL, is only valid in the Netherlands.

Applicants with foreign cooperation: Enterprises who applied for a patent at the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in the period observed, where the Dutch applicant has cooperated with a foreign entity for any of its applications.

Applications with foreign cooperation: Patent applications at the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in the period observed, where the Dutch applicant has cooperated with a foreign entity for this specific application.