Six of the top ten companies with the most growth in U.S. patent grants are based in East Asia, an indication that a new patent race in electronics is heating up.
According to a report compiled by Patexia, a patent analytics firm, the fastest growing company for U.S. patents between 2014 and 2018 was BOE Technology, a Chinese semiconductor display company.
It was followed by IBM, Intel, Ford and Amazon.
Huawei (also based in China), LG Electronics (Korea), TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), Samsung (Korea) and Hyundai (Korea) round out the fastest growing patent holders.
The Patexia report made the following observations:
- All 10 companies are part of the tech sector, including semiconductor, telecomm, and automotive.
- The appearance of Huawei and BOE Technology, two Chinese tech companies among the top 10, reconfirms the shift by the Chinese government to away from manufacturing and towards innovation as part of its “Made in China 2025” strategic plan.
- It also shows China is making investments in semiconductor to become independent.
- Expansion of the Hyundai and Ford patent portfolios is an indication that the automotive industry is receiving more R&D money and is gearing up for a major evolution, including electric cars, ride-sharing and driverless technology.
- BOE Technology’s patents received have grown more than 14-fold in the last five years.
- Hyundai and Ford Motor have more than doubled their IP filings over the last five years.
- Amazon, an e-commerce giant, has also more than doubled its IP filings, which is an indication of additional investment in new platforms, such as AWS and Alexa. It also may indicate management’s changing view of IP and its importance in protecting market share or leveraging it in negotiations with competitors.
For the full report, including patent counsel for the leaders, go here.
Image source: patexia.com
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