- The women inventor rate in Europe lags behind other regions.
- However, countries like Latvia (30.6%), Portugal (26.8%), Croatia (25.8%), Spain (23.2%), and Lithuania (21.4%) are leading the way in gender parity within Europe.
- The lowest WIR levels are found in Austria (8.0%), Germany (10.0%), and the Netherlands (11.9%), even though these countries rank within the top 10 for patent applications at the European Patent Office.
The women inventor rate (WIR) in Europe lags behind other regions, with a 13% WIR in 2019 compared to 26.8% in China and 28.3% in South Korea. However, countries like Latvia (30.6%), Portugal (26.8%), Croatia (25.8%), Spain (23.2%), and Lithuania (21.4%) are leading the way in gender parity within Europe. These conclusions are drawn from the most recent European Patent Office (EPO) report.
The chemistry sector has the highest WIR at 22%, with women preferring to work in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. The disparity in patenting rates is attributed to tougher selection for women in STEM fields, filtering them out of research jobs and upper-level positions. Women are also less likely to be credited as authors on scientific publications. Universities and public research organisations (PROs) have a larger share of women patenting (19.4%) compared to private companies (10%), possibly due to less gender bias. Closing the patenting gap could lead to more innovation focused on women’s needs and increased income for female researchers.
Latvia Leads the Way in European Gender Parity
Among European countries, Latvia stands out with the highest WIR at 30.6%, followed by Portugal (26.8%), Croatia (25.8%), Spain (23.2%), and Lithuania (21.4%). These countries are setting the standard for gender parity in Europe, although there is still much work to be done to achieve equality across the continent. Notably, the lowest WIR levels are found in Austria (8.0%), Germany (10.0%), and the Netherlands (11.9%), even though these countries rank within the top 10 for patent applications at the European Patent Office.
When compared to other regions, Europe’s WIR falls short. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) predicts gender parity in patenting will be achieved in Northern America by 2055, Asia by 2056, and Latin America and the Caribbean by 2068. However, Europe and Oceania lag behind, with parity only expected by 2088.
Chemistry: The Preferred Sector for Female Inventors
Chemistry is the technological sector with the highest WIR at 22%, which is four times greater than mechanical engineering, the sector with the lowest WIR at 5.2%. The EPO report suggests that this disparity may be due to factors such as women’s educational preferences for chemistry and life sciences, as well as differences in working conditions across sectors and their impact on work-family balance.
Within the chemistry sector, women file most of their patents in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, with WIR levels above 30%. This preference indicates that female inventors are more inclined to contribute to innovations in fields with a direct impact on human health and well-being.
Challenges Faced by Women in STEM and Patenting
The low participation of women in patenting can be largely attributed to the fact that they face tougher selection processes in STEM fields. This selection bias filters out women STEM graduates from research jobs and upper-level positions, hindering their ability to patent their inventions. Data shows that women academics submit around 40% fewer patent applications than men, despite having similar scientific productivity.
When it comes to inventions that are both described in scientific publications and patented, women are also less likely to be credited as the authors of the publications than their male co-authors. This disparity highlights the need for more equitable recognition of women’s contributions in STEM fields.
Universities and Public Research Organisations: A More Welcoming Environment
Universities and public research organisations (PROs) have a significantly larger share of women patenting at 19.4% compared to private companies at 10%. This suggests that the increased role of universities and PROs in patenting correlates with a larger share of women patenting. The EPO report posits that the reason for this might be women’s preference for working at universities and PROs, which offer less gender-biased working and social conditions than start-ups and private sector companies.
The Importance of Closing the Innovation Gender Gap
Research has shown that women’s patents are more likely to focus on women-specific health problems, while men’s patents tend to focus on men-specific issues. Thus, by closing the patenting gap, society could benefit from a broader range of goods, drugs, and services designed by women, for women. For women specifically, the patenting gap also results in less income, as researchers’ revenue is strongly related to their contributions to patenting.
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