Denmark among top countries in the world for patent applications

Novozymes, Novo Nordisk and Vestas leading the Danish charge

According to the 2017 annual report published by the European Patent Office (EPO), Denmark ranks third in the world for patent applications per capita. Last year the number of patents submitted in Denmark rose by 13.1 percent.

The report (here in English) showed that there were 377 patent applications per million citizens in Denmark, ranking Danes behind top dogs Switzerland and the Netherlands in second.

“As regards European patent applications filed relative to a country’s population, Switzerland again topped the ranking in 2017, with 884 applications per million inhabitants, followed by the Netherlands (412), Denmark (377), Sweden (374), and Finland (329),” the report stated.

READ MORE: Look who’s top of the tree for research

Novozymes lead the way
The Danes thus surpassed the Swedes, who were ranked third last year.

The three companies responsible for the greatest share of the 2,114 applications lodged last year in Denmark were Novozymes (193 applications), Novo Nordisk (144) and Vestas (82).

The lion’s share of the applications, 65 percent, stemmed from the Capital Region.

The EPO received a record 166,000 patent applications from European countries last year – a 3.9 percent increase from 2016.




  • Danish Intelligence Service: Threat from Russia has intensified

    Danish Intelligence Service: Threat from Russia has intensified

    In the internal Danish waters, Russia will be able to attack underwater infrastructure from all types of vessels. The target could be cables with data, electricity and gas, assesses the Danish Defense Intelligence Service

  • Denmark to explore screening citizenship applicants for anti-democratic sentiments

    Denmark to explore screening citizenship applicants for anti-democratic sentiments

    A few weeks after Alex Vanopslagh’s comments about “right values,” the government announced that an expert committee would be established to examine the feasibility of screening citizenship applicants for anti-democratic attitudes.

  • The Future Copenhagen

    The Future Copenhagen

    The municipality plan encompasses building 40,000 houses by 2036 in order to help drive real estate prices down. But this is not the only huge project that will change the shape of the city: Lynetteholmen, M5 metro line, the Eastern Ring Road, and Jernbanebyen will transform Copenhagen into something different from what we know today

  • It’s not you: winter depression is affecting many people

    It’s not you: winter depression is affecting many people

    Many people in Denmark are facing hard times marked by sadness, anxiety, and apathy. It’s called winter depression, and it’s a widespread phenomenon during the cold months in Nordic countries.

  • Crime rates are rising, but people are safer

    Crime rates are rising, but people are safer

    Crime in Denmark is increasing for the second consecutive year, but it is more focused on property, while people appear to be safer than before. Over the past year, there were fewer incidents of violence

  • Novo Nordisk invests 8.5 billion DKK in new Odense facility

    Novo Nordisk invests 8.5 billion DKK in new Odense facility

    Despite Novo’s announcement that its growth abroad will be larger than in Denmark, the company announced this morning an 8.5 billion DKK investment for a new facility in Odense. This is the first time the company has established a new production site in Denmark this century.