INPI publishes study mapping patent filings in Brazil involving nanotechnology

INPI publishes study mapping patent filings in Brazil involving nanotechnology

The Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office (BPTO) has published a study on the mapping of patent filings in Brazil involving nanotechnology. The study analyzes the technological information contained in patent documents from the last 20 years, with the aim of building a panorama of the patenting of inventions related to nanotechnology in the country, as well as stimulating business, partnerships and the formulation of public policies in the area.

Nanotechnology is a scientific field dedicated to manipulating the properties of matter on the nanoscale, modifying its molecular structure to create new objects. According to the study, despite being a technology still little explored by the national industry, nanotechnology is considered by the Brazilian government to be strategic for the country’s economic and technological development since it has already been proven to improve the performance and efficiency of products created using this innovation in various areas of industry.

In the study, it is possible to identify, among other information, that since the 2000s, 12,054 patent applications have been filed with the INPI relating to nanotechnology, in its various fields of application. Of these applications, around 36% are for technologies of North American origin, followed by Brazil (20.9%) and Germany (8.1%).

In the period surveyed, three Brazilian universities occupied 3 of the top 5 positions in the ranking of applicants in Brazil with more than 50 patent applications filed involving nanotechnology: the Federal University of Minas Gerais, the University of São Paulo, and the State University of Campinas.

The mapping identified that the areas of industry with the highest number of patent filings with the INPI involving this technology are medical science, biotechnology, technologies for adapting to climate change and measurement and monitoring methods.

Despite its advantages, the study also points out challenges regarding the adoption of this technology by the industry, such as the difficulty in detecting possible patent infringements involving nanotechnology – especially if it is applied in different sectors – as well as challenges relating to health regulation and nanometrology (the creation of exact measurement methods).

The study and its data can be accessed via the links: https://www.gov.br/inpi/pt-br/assuntos/informacao/RT_Nanotecnologia_CatalisaICT_agosto2023.pdf and Power BI Report

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