Romanian universities, the holders of numerous patents for inventions, are looking to partner with investors to produce and sell products. Only a few of Romania’s patented inventions have made it to the market in recent years, according to ProTV. However, centers of higher learning in the country are set to change that.

Among the inventions up for grabs is a 3D-printed tooth root that is designed to be entirely compatible with the space left after extraction. The Cluj-Napoca University of Medicine and Pharmacology, the holder of the patent, also makes a device that detects the likelihood of developing a series of metabolic diseases, including diabetes, by scanning a person’s saliva. The procedure takes 40 seconds.

The university has patented hundreds of designs in recent years, but none have made it on the market. The Cluj-Napoca Technical University is in a similar position. In the last years, it has obtained 84 certified patents, but marketed only a few products.

Local authorities and privately-owned research centers are wooing researchers, either with assistance in setting up companies, or by granting them access to top-grade research facilities.

Over ten thousand patent requests have been submitted in Romania during the last 10 years. The numbers are even more impressive at a European level. The European Patent Office (EPO) received roughly 188,000 patent applications from individuals and companies alike in 2021 alone, exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Most of the patents were in the fields of digital communication, medical technology, and computer technology.

In Europe, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Finland ranked highest in patent applications per capita. Globally, the US, Germany, and Japan saw the most applications in 2021, followed by China and France.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Melpomenem | Dreamstime.com)