Summary of 2022 Israel Patent Office report

The Israel Patent Office has recently published its annual report for the year 2022, providing valuable insights into the innovation landscape in Israel and the Israeli market as a whole.

In 2002, an increase in the number of patent application filed in Israel was observed, continuing the trend in recent years. Approximately 10,000 new patent applications were filed, reflecting an increase of nearly 5% compared to 2021.

Consistent with previous years, a significant portion of the patent applications that are filed in Israel are of foreign applicants. This continuous increase suggests that Israel is recognized by international companies as an innovation hub.

The report shows that there was a slight decrease in the number of patent applications filed by local applicants in 2022. Approximately 15% of the applicants were Israeli, compared to around 17% in 2021.

The leading Israeli companies in terms of filing are Biosense Webster (part of the Johnson & Johnson group) and Yeda (the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science). Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has moved from fourth place to third place and maintained a consistent number of filings. Notable contributors to local patent applicants also include Lumus (an AI company) and Tel Hashomer Medical Research, Infrastructure and Services Ltd. (THM) the Technology Transfer Company of Sheba Medical Center.

When it comes to patents that have undergone examination and have been registered, the defense industry takes the lead. Among the top five companies, three are defense-related: IAI, Elbit, and Elta (IAI subsidiary). The other two companies are Biosense Webster and Stratasys (specializing in 3D printers).

Additionally, the Israel Patent Office report provides information on legal proceedings conducted before it. Patent infringement actions in Israel are filed with the courts, while requests for patent revocations or oppositions to patent grants are submitted to the Patent Office.

In 2022, there was a decrease in the number of oppositions and revocation requests filed with the Israeli Patent Office, with the figure decreasing from 43 to 32 procedures. It is conceivable that the surge in patent application submissions in recent years may lead to an increase in legal proceedings in the future, as such cases typically arise several years after the filing of the patent application (usually after the examination process by the Israeli Patent Office has concluded). Competitors possess a significant advantage in Israel by filing oppositions against patent applications. This is due to the fact that in Israel (unlike in Europe and the USA), the mere filing of an opposition results in a postponement of the patent grant, making it impossible to file a patent infringement action until the opposition procedure, including any subsequent appeal, has concluded. Consequently, filing an opposition becomes a powerful strategy for the opposing party.