China Boosts University Patents for Market Use
China has completed its first nationwide review of university and research institution patents. Officials screened over 1.3 million patents to identify high-value technologies. They connected 680,000 promising invention patents with 460,000 companies to push innovation from lab to market.
Driving Patents to Market
The review is part of a 2023 State Council plan to transform and utilize patents. Over the past three years, 80,000 invention patents from 2,700 universities and institutes have entered the market. Industrialization rates reached 10.1% for universities and 17.2% for research institutes by 2025, showing clear improvement.
Officials linked key patents to future-oriented industries such as quantum technology, bio-manufacturing, brain-computer interfaces, and 6G communications. Small and medium-sized enterprises, including startups like Unitree Robotics, also benefited. These companies strengthened their core technology and expanded globally.
Challenges and Solutions
China still faces hurdles in patent commercialization. Long transfer cycles, weak commercial vision among researchers, high risks, and a shortage of skilled professionals slow progress. Authorities introduced new measures, including pre-application evaluations, researcher rewards for successful commercialization, and technology share policies.
The Ministry of Education is using AI and big data to create smart patent profiles. These profiles highlight potential applications and market value. Officials emphasize that inventions must leave the lab and reach production lines to impact daily life. Large companies have seen higher profits and stronger overseas sales from patent-intensive products.
China now holds over 5 million valid domestic invention patents. Its international patent applications have ranked first globally for six years. By improving patent industrialization, the country aims to turn scientific research into tangible products that drive economic growth.
