Computer-implemented cell analysis – insufficient technical character?
This case draws attention to the importance of clearly highlighting an invention’s technical character in a patent application.
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As Europe seeks to transform cutting-edge innovation into commercial success, recent developments from both the European Patent Office (EPO) and the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) offer important new tools for businesses, startups, and investors.
The EPO’s latest study, Mapping investors for European innovators, sheds light on the funding ecosystem for tech startups and highlights the funding challenges faced, particularly in Europe, where venture capital plays a smaller role in comparison to the US.
The study finds that although early-stage public investment in Europe is relatively strong, later stage investment is markedly decreased when compared with the US. This disparity undermines Europe’s ability to scale innovation and often drives entrepreneurs to seek opportunities abroad.
To help address this issue, the EPO has introduced a novel metric, the Technology Investor Score (TIS). This score measures the proportion of companies in a Technology investor’s portfolio that have filed patent applications.
With over 6,100 investors in Europe analysed, the TIS provides startups with a practical means to identify aligned investors who recognise the commercial value of patents. High-TIS investors are generally better equipped to support innovative firms, leading to more successful exits and scale-ups.
While private investments account for the majority of investments by volume, the study also highlights how public investors play a vital role in Europe’s innovation ecosystem, particularly in high-TIS areas that align with broader societal goals. Unlike private investors, who are more evenly spread across low to moderate TIS categories, public entities tend to concentrate their efforts where social impact is highest.
As outlined in the study, some key public actors include pan-European institutions like the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the European Investment Bank (EIB), as well as national and regional innovation agencies, such as Bpifrance, Innovate UK, and Innosuisse.
Encouragingly, the data show that 88% of European investors have at least some exposure to patented startups, while 8% of investors have portfolios where over half of their companies hold patents. This metric is now integrated into the EPO’s Deep Tech Finder, an upgraded platform that enables users to identify suitable investors based on criteria such as technology sector, funding stage, country, and TIS rating.
At the national level, the UK IPO has also made a significant contribution to the innovation ecosystem with the launch of One IPO Search tool. This is a new online patent search platform that replaces the longstanding Ipsum service.
With a modern, intuitive interface, the goal of the One IPO Search tool is to offer easier access to UK patent data for businesses, IP professionals, and the wider public.
Key features of the new tool include:
From a professional perspective, these developments reflect a wider trend towards greater transparency and accessibility to information in the IP landscape. Whether you’re seeking funding, evaluating the competitive landscape, or making strategic decisions about R&D, these new tools allow innovators to act with increased confidence and intelligence.
Startups can now identify suitable investors by assessing alignment with patent activity and investors can more easily discover high-potential ventures with strong IP positions. More specifically with regards to the UK, UK businesses can more easily search for and interpret patent data to inform their innovation strategy.
By aligning funding with patent strategy, and providing better access to critical data, these tools help bridge the gap between invention and commercial success.
If you would like advice on how to leverage these tools or navigating the UK and European patent systems, please contact us.