The coronavirus pandemic notwithstanding, Israel saw and increase in the number of patent applications filed from March-August 2020 compared to the same period of 2019, data from the Justice Ministry obtained by Israel Hayom indicates.
In March, 754 patent applications were filed, compared to 608 in March of 2019. In April 2020, 649 applications were filed, compared to 625 last year. In May, the number dropped – 642 applications were filed compared to 658 in May of 2019. However, the number was up again in June, which saw 748 applications compared to 730 in June 2019. July saw another small drop, from 662 to 650 this year, but the numbers were back up in August – 638 applications filed in 2020 compared to 616 in August 2019.
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This brings the total number of patent applications filed for the six-month period to 4,081 compared to 3,899 for March-August 2019.
According to Ariel Dubinsky, a lawyer who specializes in intellectual property, told Israel Hayom that "the uptick in patent registration during COVID is not surprising. Remember, that intellectual property assets are very valuable to companies and private entrepreneurs, so registering patents or trademarks is a critical step in a company's ability to leverage its activity and secure a major advantage in competitive markets.
"Aside from that, if a company manages its patents strategically, it can give the company a large market share compared to its competitors," Dubinsky explained.
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