Small Businesses Patenting Activity Is Important

One of the articles in the Economic and Labour Market Review focuses on patents and intellectual property rights and it tells us that small businesses are as important as large businesses in patenting activity. Small businesses accounted for 40% of live patents and large busineses 44%. Medium sized businesses accounted for only 16% of patents. The article matches data from ONS Business Structure Database (BSD) firm level data and data from Intellectual Property Office (IPO). As well as matching data at the firm level it also analyzes regional data according to the NUTS2 system. London and the South East have the most of patents, and there were also large numbers in East Wales and Eastern Scotland (Cardiff and Edinburgh areas).