World IP Day: VITO confirms strong position in the Belgian innovation landscape
Today, on World Intellectual Property Day, one theme takes centre stage worldwide: how research evolves into impactful innovations. For VITO, this is a daily reality. Our researchers work every day on solutions to tomorrow’s challenges, with patents playing a key role in protecting inventions, accelerating their further development and valorising them into concrete market applications.
VITO ranks 8th in Belgium for European and international patent applications
VITO ranks 8th in Belgium for European and international (PCT) patent applications, placing it among the leading innovation players in our country.
VITO’s strong position fits within a broader European trend in which innovation and its protection through patent applications continues to grow. According to the latest figures from the European Patent Office (EPO), the milestone of 200,000 patent applications was exceeded for the first time in 2025. Europe thereby confirms its position as a global technology hub.
Belgium also continues to perform strongly. Although the number of applications declined slightly after the record year of 2024, our country remains in the global top 10 when looking at applications per inhabitant, underlining its sustained strong position within the European innovation landscape.
Within that landscape, VITO, alongside players such as imec, Syensqo and Umicore, and leading universities such as KU Leuven and Ghent University forms part of the core of the Belgian innovation ecosystem.
From research to strategic innovation
At VITO, patents are not an endpoint but a strategic instrument. They not only protect the knowledge built up at VITO but also provide crucial support in further developing, scaling up and valorising technology in collaboration with industry.
In this way, patents form a bridge between research at VITO and concrete applications in the market. They strengthen our position as a science-to-technology partner and accelerate the path towards societal impact.
Collaborating on technology that matters
What sets VITO apart is how we use patents: not as a goal in themselves, but as a lever for collaboration. Our technologies are developed in close interaction with partners, ensuring they respond to real needs and find their way into market applications more quickly.
This approach is essential in a context where technological progress increasingly depends on collaboration between research institutions, industry and policymakers. The fact that half of Belgium’s top applicants are knowledge institutions underlines the importance of this interaction.
Innovation with societal added value
The power of a patent lies not only in protecting an idea, but in what is done with it. At VITO, we strive to link every invention to societal added value: reduced CO2 emissions, more efficient use of resources, improved healthcare or stronger, more resilient systems.
This requires not only technological expertise but also a broad perspective on systems and impact. Patents make it possible to anchor these innovations sustainably and further develop them, for example in collaboration with companies or in the context of spin-outs.
The driving force behind innovation: our people
Behind every patent is a team of researchers, engineers and experts. Their curiosity, creativity and perseverance form the core of our innovative strength.
World IP Day is therefore, above all, a moment to put them in the spotlight. They make VITO a place where ideas grow, are tested and ultimately evolve into solutions that truly matter.
Because in the end, intellectual property is not only about protection but about progress. And that is exactly where VITO makes the difference.
