Medtech boom keeps Belgium in top 10 for patents
For the first time in a decade, Belgium has filed more patents for medical technology than for biotechnology, according to 2025 figures from the European Patent Office (EPO). The shift is driven by strong growth in the medtech sector, which has become the leading domain for Belgian patent applications.
Belgian companies and inventors filed 2,548 European patent applications last year, a decrease of 2.6 per cent compared to the record year of 2024. Despite this slight drop, Belgium retains its place in the European innovation elite, ranking tenth in patent applications per capita, consistent with previous years.
Medtech surge stands out in Europe
The number of Belgian patent applications in medical technology rose sharply, increasing by more than 54 per cent (54.4 per cent). This marks the first time in ten years that the sector has taken the lead. The rise is particularly notable compared to the European average, where patent applications in the sector grew by just 1 per cent.
By contrast, other key domains, including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, materials and metallurgy, civil engineering and computer technology, recorded declines in Belgium, with several sectors underperforming relative to the broader European trend.
High share of female inventors
Belgium also stands out for its high level of female participation in innovation. As in 2024, women were involved in 32 per cent of patent applications, placing the country third among EPO filers. This is well above the European average of 26 per cent.
The Leuven-based research centre imec remained the country’s largest patent applicant, followed by specialty chemicals company Syensqo and materials group Umicore. Overall, the total number of patent applications filed with the EPO surpassed 200,000 for the first time in 2025.
Robot-assisted surgery. © PHOTO PASCAL POCHARD-CASABIANCA / AFP
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