Application-oriented and up-to-date

We define application-oriented technologies by means of new patent queries that go beyond a classification system or a keyword query. We work with artificial intelligence to discover new or important topics and use all established and cutting-edge tools to group patents along these topics. However, we go even further and have developed tools that make companies in the technologies very transparently assessable and explainable and communicable to users outside the patent world.

We are constantly researching new opportunities to make emerging technologies visible even earlier and to identify disruptive developments as early as possible. We have set ourselves the goal of always keeping an application focus in mind, since the successful application of an invention is ultimately what justifies the investment in the invention.

Class instead of mass

While most patent analyses conclude from the pure quantity to the innovative power, we identify the really relevant patents. To do this, we evaluate each patent within a technology individually. This means that five evaluation criteria are available for each country, region and company:

The number of world-class patents
The share of world class patents in total patents (patent efficiency)
The average valuation of the patent portfolio
The absolute value of the patent portfolio
The individual value of each patent

Market Leaders, Newcomers and «one hit wonders»

Our time series analysis shows companies, regions and countries that are continuously innovating. It also enables us to identify dynamic newcomers who are leveraging the market with new patents. Furthermore, “one hit wonders” can be identified that attract attention with few patents but do not carry out sustainable research.

While classical patent analyses concentrate on patent applications, we analyse the technological strength, i.e. the entire active patent portfolio, consisting of applications and patents valid at the time. Applications primarily show activity, we measure strength.

Technology Links

As a rule, something new does not emerge from new technologies but from the intelligent combination of existing technologies. Some technologies, such as digitization, are only effective when combined with other technologies and thus lead to new products and processes. Other technologies such as Industry 4.0 consist almost exclusively of technology combinations. The linkages and overlaps between technologies thus become the hotspots of future technologies. EconSight identifies the relevant technology combinations and thus shows dynamics in key technologies at an early stage.

Technologies instead of industry sectors

Detailed technology portfolios show technological progress at company level, which is completely concealed by classic industry sector analyses. Only the identification of technological focal points, dynamics and gaps allows for a serious comparison of companies. The analyses are linked with other indicators such as world-class research and thus provide a detailed view of entrepreneurial priorities and strategy changes. The approach can also be applied to countries and regions.

Flexible in the analysis – consistent in the conclusion

The EconSight approach allows analysis from a global top-down perspective on country activities and global technology trends. At the same time, the activities of individual companies and research institutes in specific technologies can be presented from a bottom-up perspective. The research performance of a country can be distributed among the individual companies and the performance of individual companies can also be differentiated and aggregated according to research locations and technologies. In comparison to other data sets, the concept does not reach methodological or data technology limits. The approach is therefore completely permeable and flexible in its analysis as well as completely resilient and consistent in its message.