Smart businesses are taking advantage of flexibility in Australia’s intellectual property (IP) system to deliver more innovative products – crucial to raising productivity and living standards – a new report reveals.
The Australian IP Report 2025 is out today, with research undertaken for IP Australia highlighting how the IP system supports innovation and growth for small businesses.
The report shows small businesses are establishing patent claims to protect their ideas, then strategically extending application timeframes as they seek resources to further their innovation programs and commercialise their products.
By taking advantage of this flexibility, small businesses end up marketing more innovative products, building more on their creations, and generating more lifetime value from their patented ideas.
The report cites recent research showing that a business’s first patent grant generates higher productivity, more jobs and better wages.
In contrast, large businesses are expediting the patent process, which also drives innovation as they can enter new markets sooner.
More valuable data in the report:
- 2024 saw a record year for new design filings, which rose by 9% to 9,583.
- Trade mark applications rose by 3% to 85,945. This was partly driven by a 22% jump in trade mark filings for household items.
- Standard patent applications fell by 3%, with 30,478 filed. However, some technology fields, including biotechnology, continue to show strong growth.
- Applications for plant breeder’s rights (PBR) increased by 48% in non-cereal field crops, the highest recorded level for this plant variety.
More than half of new trade mark applications - a leading indicator of economic growth - were made by Australian residents. The number of Australian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that hold a trade mark also increased by 12,000 to over 188,000 in 2024.
Australia is also seeing substantial growth in IP applications from China, with the country overtaking the US in trade mark filings. In 2024, trade mark applications originating from China nearly doubled and new design filings rose by 66%.
As competition in Australia’s electric vehicle market develops, EV patent applications from China rose 75% year-on-year over the past 3 years. In the transport category, new design filings from all countries increased by 9%, while standard patent filings grew by 13%.
Explore sector trends and IP rights in more detail.
Quotes attributable to IP Australia Director General Michael Schwager
“The Australian IP Report 2025 demonstrates the economic benefits of IP protection as well as the importance of businesses proactively engaging with IP early in their strategic development.
“Our research shows Australia’s IP system is flexible and well-designed to meet the needs of Australia’s innovators, especially small businesses, and support their development.
“IP rights can also provide an important buffer for businesses facing uncertainty in global markets, by holding value as an intangible asset and helping businesses compete effectively as markets change.”
Media contact
To arrange an interview, contact us at media@ipaustralia.gov.au