Many technologies such as semiconductor electronics, lasers and magnetic resonance imaging involve quantum effects. Recently, «second generation» quantum technologies (QT) harnessing quantum phenomena like entanglement and superposition - in particular in quantum computing and sensing – are progressing from academia to industry.

1. The EPO’s Insight Reports

Four out of eleven insight reports published by the European Patent Office (EPO) relate to Q simulation, Q computing, QT and space, and Q metrology and sensing. These reports highlight the following:

• Players with the most patent filings are corporations, growth-stage tech companies and research institutions from the USA, Europe, China, and Japan.
• In particular, in Q computing and Q simulation, next to growth-stage tech companies and US universities, the largest corporate applicants include IBM, Intel, Nokia, Microsoft, Hitachi and Google, while in QT and space and Q metrology and sensing, prominent players include Chinese government research institutes and the US industry.
• Collaboration between universities and industry is particularly strong in these fields.
• The number of patent filings is still relatively low but sharply increasing: in Q computing for example, the number of newly published patent families grew by 15 to 30% per year. For comparison, the yearly growth of EPO patent filings in all technical areas was between -1 and 5% in recent years.

2. Patenting in QT

Businesses taking part in this race and companies in adjacent markets should take strategic decisions on their intellectual property.

A technical development can be patented or alternatively kept as a trade secret. Being able to prevent competitors from copying the invention speaks in favor of patenting, while nearly impossible reverse engineering may suggest keeping the technology secret instead.

Feel free to get in touch in case of questions.