Life science patents granted, by filing office in Netherlands
Netherlands: Life science patents granted, by filing office was 398 patents in 2023. ▲ Rising
Life science patents granted, by filing office in Netherlands, 1980–2023
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in patents.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life science patents granted, by filing office in Netherlands is 398 patents, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.
The figure is up 35.4% on the previous year and up 237.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life science patents granted, by filing office in Netherlands peaked at 398 patents in 2023 and was at its lowest, 42 patents, in 1995.
Netherlands ranks 14th of 70 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Life science patents granted, by filing office in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | patents | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 101 patents | — |
| 1981 | 148 patents | +46.5% |
| 1982 | 136 patents | -8.1% |
| 1983 | 128 patents | -5.9% |
| 1984 | 136 patents | +6.2% |
| 1985 | 157 patents | +15.4% |
| 1986 | 129 patents | -17.8% |
| 1987 | 139 patents | +7.8% |
| 1988 | 103 patents | -25.9% |
| 1989 | 97 patents | -5.8% |
| 1990 | 88 patents | -9.3% |
| 1991 | 82 patents | -6.8% |
| 1992 | 83 patents | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 77 patents | -7.2% |
| 1994 | 57 patents | -26.0% |
| 1995 | 42 patents | -26.3% |
| 1996 | 96 patents | +128.6% |
| 1997 | 180 patents | +87.5% |
| 1998 | 208 patents | +15.6% |
| 1999 | 163 patents | -21.6% |
| 2000 | 148 patents | -9.2% |
| 2001 | 148 patents | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 156 patents | +5.4% |
| 2003 | 197 patents | +26.3% |
| 2004 | 116 patents | -41.1% |
| 2005 | 161 patents | +38.8% |
| 2006 | 163 patents | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 165 patents | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 121 patents | -26.7% |
| 2009 | 143 patents | +18.2% |
| 2010 | 127 patents | -11.2% |
| 2011 | 112 patents | -11.8% |
| 2012 | 98 patents | -12.5% |
| 2013 | 118 patents | +20.4% |
| 2014 | 123 patents | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 81 patents | -34.1% |
| 2016 | 125 patents | +54.3% |
| 2017 | 139 patents | +11.2% |
| 2018 | 142 patents | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 164 patents | +15.5% |
| 2020 | 180 patents | +9.8% |
| 2021 | 224 patents | +24.4% |
| 2022 | 294 patents | +31.2% |
| 2023 | 398 patents | +35.4% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 398 patents is above the median for high income countries, which is 28 patents, 14.2× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 398 patents is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.5 patents, 15.6× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Life science patents granted, by filing office in Netherlands changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +128.6% | 42 patents | 96 patents |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 127.4 patents | 97 patents | 157 patents | 10 |
| 1990s | 107.6 patents | 42 patents | 208 patents | 10 |
| 2000s | 151.8 patents | 116 patents | 197 patents | 10 |
| 2010s | 122.9 patents | 81 patents | 164 patents | 10 |
| 2020s | 274 patents | 180 patents | 398 patents | 4 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More science & technology data for Netherlands
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 128.54 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.3 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 23.43 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 673.15 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 2.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 3.38 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 1,266 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 1,266 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life science patents granted, by filing office in Netherlands?
- Life science patents granted, by filing office in Netherlands was 398 patents in 2023, according to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life science patents granted, by filing office recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 398 patents in 2023.
- What is the lowest life science patents granted, by filing office recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 42 patents in 1995.
- How does Netherlands rank for life science patents granted, by filing office?
- Netherlands ranks 14th out of 70 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life science patents granted, by filing office rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is up 237.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Netherlands data come from?
- The figures come from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Life science patents granted, by filing office. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Patents granted within the fields of medical technology, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals by filing office. These patents cover a wide range of innovations, such as medical devices, diagnostic methods, genetic engineering techniques, biotechnological processes and new drugs.