BPTO publishes rankings of applicants for intellectual property assets in 2024

BPTO publishes rankings of applicants for intellectual property assets in 2024

On May 21, 2025, the Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office (BPTO) published a report featuring the rankings of the top applicants of intellectual property assets in 2024. The rankings are divided between residents and non-residents in Brazil and cover assets such as patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and computer programs. In the document, the number of filings is ranked by company, by economic activity, and by Federative Units.

Regarding patents filed by resident applicants, the top 50 accounted for 1,995 applications. Of these, 96% were legal entities, with 70% being public institutions and 26% private entities. The economic activities with the highest number of applicants were education (37), motor vehicle manufacturing (2), and scientific research and development (2). Although 70% of the applicant entities are public and most applicants are from the education sector, the leading position in the 2024 ranking of resident invention patent filers is held by a global automotive company, followed by Petrobras, the Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), and the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB).

The states with the highest number of applicants are Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, and São Paulo. It is noteworthy that the number of applicants in a given area or state is not the sole determinant of the total number of applications. For example, Rio de Janeiro was the second state in terms of total applications but ranked fourth in terms of the number of applicants.

For non-resident applicants, the top 50 responsible for invention patent applications in 2024 accounted for 5,555 filings. Most of these companies originated from the United States (32%), followed by China (14%), Germany (8%), France (6%), and Switzerland (6%). The predominant economic activities among these applicants were computer equipment manufacturing (18%), chemical products manufacturing (14%), pharmaceutical products manufacturing (14%), and telecommunications (10%). In this context, companies such as Qualcomm Incorporated and Huawei Technologies stand out, leading the ranking with 1,002 and 330 applications, respectively.

In the ranking of trademarks filed by resident applicants, the top 50 accounted for 5,650 applications in 2024. The activities with the highest number of applicants were retail trade (8 companies, 16%) and wholesale trade (8 companies, 16%), followed by financial services (5, 10%), building construction (3, 6%), and pharmaceutical and chemical products manufacturing (3, 6%). The leader is We Pink Participações, from the digital influencer sector, with 281 applications. Among the represented economic chains, the health sector (including manufacturers and distributors of medicines and health plans), agribusiness (with companies focused on biotechnology, genetics, and agricultural inputs), and the real estate chain (builders, developers, and service providers) stand out. The ranking also includes sports clubs and media companies. Additionally, the states with the highest number of applicants are São Paulo (44% of companies), Minas Gerais (10%), and Paraná (8%).

As for non-resident trademark applicants, the top 50 accounted for 2,881 applications in 2024, representing 0.6% of all trademarks filed in Brazil. Although this participation is lower compared to patents, there is greater diversity in terms of origin, with 21 countries represented. The United States leads with 30.6% of the ranked companies, followed by China (12.2%). Companies from these two countries together filed 1,256 trademarks. Amazon Technologies holds the top position among applicants, with 187 applications, equivalent to 1.1% of all non-resident trademarks. In terms of economic activity, the main sectors represented were chemical products manufacturing (10% of applicants), gambling activities (8%), and associative organizations and administrative services (8%). It is also noteworthy that, similar to the patent rankings, many of these companies operate in strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy, such as agribusiness, energy, and civil construction.

Finally, with respect to other assets, resident applicants were responsible for 337 utility model applications, with Petrobras standing out. For industrial designs, 1,746 applications were filed, with Grendene S.A. as the leading applicant. All computer program applications were filed by residents, led by Fundação CPQD. Among non-resident applicants, utility models totaled 58 applications, while industrial designs reached 867, with companies such as BYD Company Limited and Honda Motor Co. Ltd. standing out.

The document can be accessed via the link: BPTO 2024 Filers Rankings

Note: For quick release, this English version is provided by automated translation without human review.