In 2024, Shanghai made significant achievements in intellectual property protection and maintained an excellent rating in national IP protection for the fourth consecutive year.

Last year, the city saw 57.9 high-value invention patents per 10,000 people (a 15.3 percent increase year-on-year), 6,822 PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) international patent applications (a 10.3 percent increase year-on-year), and 2.79 million registered trademarks (a 6.7 percent increase year-on-year).

The "Shanghai-Suzhou" technology cluster ranked fifth in the 2024 Global Innovation Index Report by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Shanghai issued an array of proposals and special reforms to enhance the effective utilization of patents, fostering the development of new quality productive forces. In 2024 alone, the number of IP technology contracts signed by scientific research institutions was 6,773, an increase of 21 percent over 2022, with a total deal value of 23.8 billion yuan ($3.27 billion), a remarkable 117 percent increase over 2022.

By empowering demand-driven initiatives, expediting patent commercialization, and constructing Proof of Concept (PoC) Centers, Shanghai turned numerous ideas into high-value patents. Since 2023, the Innomatch global technology exchange platform has facilitated patent-based solutions for various enterprise needs, resulting in transactions worth 780 million yuan.

Meanwhile, efforts have been dedicated to cultivating the IP management and practical application capabilities of enterprises, enabling researchers to focus on scientific exploration. Shanghai has also established incubators and set up a 10-billion-yuan fund to nurture and industrialize potential groundbreaking patents.

A specialized evaluation mechanism for patents and enterprises will be implemented to help turn Shanghai into a beacon for technological innovation and patent commercialization.