Technology

Maoyan Entertainment Reports 2024 Annual Results, Declares Dividend

Published

3 days ago

March 27, 2025

BEIJING, March 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Maoyan Entertainment (“Maoyan” or the “Company”, 1896.HK), a leading platform providing innovative Internet empowered entertainment services in China, today announced its audited consolidated results for the year ended December 31, 2024. The Board has proposed a final dividend of HKD 0.32 per share for 2024, underscoring the company’s strong commitment to shareholder value and confidence in its future business growth and performance.

Full Year 2024 Financial Highlights

Revenue was RMB4,082.2 million, compared with RMB4,757.4 million in 2023.Profit was RMB181.9 million, compared with RMB907.8 million in 2023.Adjusted net profit[1] was RMB309.6 million, compared with RMB1,029.0 million in 2023.

[1] We defined adjusted net profit as net profit for the year adjusted by adding back share-based compensation and amortization of intangible assets resulting from business combinations.

BUSINESS REVIEW

According to the data released by the China Film Administration (國家電影局) for 2024, the total box office nationwide reached RMB42.502 billion, representing a decrease of 22.6% compared to 2023. The offline performance market maintained its growth trend, with commercial performance box office revenue nationwide reaching RMB57.954 billion for the full year, reflecting a year- on-year increase of 15.37%, according to the National Performance Market Development Briefing for 2024 (《2024全國演出市場簡報》) released by the China Association of Performing Arts (中國演出行業協會).

During the Reporting Period, the number of released movies in which the Company was involved and their box office performance continued to rank at the top among industry leaders. With our enhanced promotion and distribution service capabilities, the movies for which we acted as a lead distributor reached record highs at the box office contribution. Our live entertainment business continued to outperform the overall market in both revenue and GMV growth, further strengthening our market competitiveness. By continuing to optimize the revenue structure, the Company maintained its profitability.

Entertainment Content Services

As a leading promoter and distributor of domestic movies, as well as a premier movie producer and self-developer in China, we actively serve the industry and contribute to the distribution, production and development of various genres of domestic movies. In 2024, we were involved in a total of 63 released domestic movies, achieving a cumulative box office of approximately RMB23.2 billion, with both the number of films we participated in and the market share reaching historic highs for the same period. We also increased the number of top-tier movies we participated in and deepened our presence. Out of the top 10 domestic films in terms of box office in 2024, Maoyan was involved in the production/distribution of 8 movies, including 6 movies for which we acted as a lead distributor.

During the Reporting Period, we continued to refine our promotion and distribution capabilities and methodologies, while maintaining a keen sense of market conditions and project evaluation. From early-stage insights into themes, release dates, and evolving user demands to refined operations, we continued to improve and streamline our promotion and distribution capabilities, product systems, and organizational development. We also further standardized our promotion and distribution processes, covering various areas including pre-release marketing, short videos, materials, and collaborative promotion and distribution coordination. At the same time, we persisted in iterating and optimizing our product promotion and distribution capabilities, embraced new technologies and capabilities, and continued exploring synergies among various industries. For instance, we collaborated with mainstream platforms including Baidu, Tencent, and Douyin on AI technology applications in a number of movies, effectively enhancing the movies’ promotional effects and user engagement.

Leveraging our high-quality promotion and distribution services, as well as our long-standing and ever-growing movie selection and data capabilities, during the Reporting Period, we participated in the promotion and distribution of 60 domestic movies, among which we acted as a lead distributor for 36 domestic movies, setting new records in terms of both the number of movies and the box office. Many of these movies performed exceptionally well in the following release periods:

During the 2024 New Year, Shining For One Thing (一閃一閃亮星星), Johnny Keep Walking! (年會不能停!) and The Goldfinger (金手指), for which we acted as a lead distributor/producer ranked among the top three in box office for the release period.During the 2024 Labour Day Holiday, The Last Frenzy (末路狂花錢), for which we acted as the lead distributor/producer ranked second in box office for the release period.During the 2024 Dragon Boat Festival, Be My Friend (我才不要和你做朋友呢), for which we acted as a lead distributor/producer ranked No. 1 in box office, respectively for the release period.During the 2024 summer movie season, Successor (抓娃娃) and A Place Called Silence (默殺), for which we acted as a lead distributor/producer ranked first and second in box office for the release period.During the 2024 National Day, The Volunteers: The Battle of Life and Death (志願軍: 存亡之戰), for which we acted as a lead distributor/producer ranked first in box office for the release period.

Moreover, several of the aforementioned movies won or were nominated for awards at the Hundred Flowers Awards (大衆電影百花獎), the China Golden Rooster Awards (中國電影金雞獎), the Changchun Film Festival (長春電影節), the Hong Kong Film Awards (香港金像獎), the Asian Film Awards (亞洲電影大獎), and the Tokyo International Film Festival (東京國際電影節).

In particular, during the last five consecutive Spring Festivals, from 2021 to 2025, movies for which we acted as a lead distributor achieved outstanding performances and claimed the top two spots in the corresponding film seasons, including DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 1900 (唐探1900) in 2025, Pegasus 2 (飛馳人生2) in 2024, Full River Red (滿江紅) (ranking No. 7 in China’s movie history) in 2023, Too Cool To Kill (這個殺手不太冷靜) in 2022, and Hi, Mom (你好，李煥英) (ranking No. 4 in China’s movie history) in 2021. These successes again demonstrated our consistent and reliable ability to identify and capture high-quality content.

We continued to focus on self-production and creation, strengthened our own IP development, and enhanced our ability to develop and produce excellent content achieving further breakthroughs in the production domain. During the Reporting Period, we successively released several self- produced movies including A Place Called Silence (默殺), The Umbrella Fairy (傘少女), Go For Broke (重生), Panda Plan (熊貓計劃), and Honey Money Phony (“騙騙”喜歡你). Many of these movies achieved outstanding box office performance and reputation, including:

A Place Called Silence (默殺) grossed RMB1.351 billion at the box office, making it the second-highest grossing film of the 2024 summer movie season, and received multiple awards and nominations at the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival (第37屆東京國際電影節) and the 19th Changchun Film Festival (第19屆長春電影節).Panda Project (熊貓計劃) is the best family bonding movie for the National Day season.Honey Money Phony (“騙騙”喜歡你) achieved outstanding box office performance during the 2024 New Year’s Eve and 2025 New Year’s Day seasons, ranking the third-highest box office revenue in both periods.

Furthermore, we remain committed to the animated film industry with a long-term, patient approach. To date, we have made strategic investments and taken concrete steps in talent development, deep collaboration with content creators, IP incubation and growth, technological innovation, and capacity expansion. This year, Endless Journey of Love (時間之子), the first 3D animated movie that we self-produced, is set to meet the audience on May 30, 2025. Furthermore, we involve in the production/distribution of animated movies that have either already been or are about to be scheduled, such as Nobody: Lang Lang Ago (小妖怪的夏天). Moving forward, we will continue to invest and remain committed to creating long-term value in animation movies.

Currently, a series of movies for which we acted as a distributor/producer are already released, such as, The Dumpling Queen (水餃皇后), A Gilded Game (獵金游戲), Endless Journey of Love (時間之子), The Litchi Road (長安的荔枝) and Panda Plan 2 (熊貓計劃2). Furthermore, we continue to maintain a diverse and abundant pipeline of movie content covering varied themes. An array of movies in our pipeline are steadily progressing, such as, De Xian Jin Zhi (得閑謹制), Malice (惡意), Intercross (人•魚), VANISHED PEOPLE (消失的人), The Adventure (奇遇) and Nobody: Lang Lang Ago (小妖怪的夏天), as well as several of our self-produced films, such as Running In The Rain (千金不換), and Casual Revenge (即興謀殺).

Online Entertainment Ticketing Services

Since 2024, the offline performance market has maintained rich supply and strong demand. We have consistently invested in and developed our offline performance ticketing business, further enhancing our market competitiveness. During the Reporting Period, the total revenue and GMV of our offline performances reached new highs compared to the same period in previous years. As for large-scale performance events, in addition to continuing to provide ticketing services for several top-tier domestic artists’ tours, including Jacky Cheung, Eason Chan, and Jay Chou, we also provided high-quality ticketing and on-site services for various top-tier international artists’ concerts in China, including Kanye West and Mariah Carey. During the Reporting Period, the GMV of concerts for which Maoyan provided ticketing services grew by approximately 90% year-on-year. For local performance events, our market share continued to increase, and the category coverage of our services continues to grow and evolve. For instance, we actively promoted the online penetration of local Quyi shows, with their GMV increasing by approximately 90% year-on-year. We also supported cultural activities organised by local governments by distributing millions of consumption vouchers, driving GMV growth of over RMB10 million. In overseas regions, in addition to support services for various performances in Hong Kong through the Urban Ticketing System (城市售票網), we continued to expand the performance lineup of our self-operated ticketing platform, UUTIX, in the Hong Kong and Macau regions, serving multiple performances, including Macau 2049 (澳門2049) directed by Zhang Yimou (張藝謀) and ComplexCon Hong Kong. We have also established long-term ticketing business partnerships with several entertainment groups in Macau. In addition, we have actively explored cooperation opportunities in multiple regions, including Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, and have established in-depth cooperation with several apps in these local regions. We will continue to strengthen our partnerships in the performance business going forward.

In 2024, we continued to provide high-quality movie ticketing services to the industry, maintaining our market-leading position and continuously strengthening our competitiveness. During the Reporting Period, we continued to enrich our product offerings with “Cloud Block Booking” (雲包場) and other services, exploring and satisfying our users’ diverse needs. In addition, we proactively expanded into new ticketing scenarios by leveraging emerging formats such as live streaming and merchandise promotions to broaden our user service coverage. Furthermore, we continued to enhance our service capabilities for film festivals and government cultural activities. During the Reporting Period, Maoyan served as the official ticketing platform for the 14th Beijing International Film Festival (第十四屆北京國際電影節) for the fourth consecutive year. We also provided ticketing and special promotions for multiple film festivals, including the 49th Hong Kong International Film Festival (第49屆香港國際電影節), the 11th Silk Road International Film Festival (第11屆絲綢之路國際電影節), and the 6th Hainan Island International Film Festival (第6屆海南島國際電影節). Furthermore, we conducted various public welfare activities at the provincial, municipal, and district levels across the country, including movie ticket discounts, a combination of movies and performance, and “savoring food through movies” (跟著電影品美食) campaigns.

Advertising Services and Others

In terms of promotional and marketing services, we fully leveraged our resource integration capabilities and deepened cooperation with a number of internet platforms. Leveraging our strategic foresight and advantages in products and resources, we expanded our audience reach to lower-tier markets and provided rich advertising promotions for films. During the Reporting Period, we upgraded our comprehensive live streaming marketing services, further diversifying our commercial offerings to boost online film promotions. These efforts generated over RMB10 million in commercialization revenue. To date, our content matrix has attracted a total number of more than 80 million fans.

We continue to serve the movie industry with our “technology + big data” approach, while also keeping abreast of the integration of AI technology into the film and television industry. During the Reporting Period, we independently developed AI film creation software, designed to perform intelligent script analysis, intelligent character creation and other functions, effectively enhancing the efficiency of front-end script creation and communication processes. At the same time, we collaborated with multiple AI companies in the industry to jointly explore and advance the application of AI technology in animation production and visual storytelling.

Maoyan Pro (貓眼專業版) continues to update and iterate its tool products, leading to a steady increase in industry influence, with the daily average visits reaching a historic high during the 2025 Spring Festival season. Maoyan Pro’s global box office data service was further upgraded with more accurate and timely global box office data. This service currently covers major markets including North America, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and Australia, offering the industry a comprehensive and precise reference for global box office performance. As the first authoritative data and information platform in the industry to provide information on domestic movies’ overseas release and box office performance, Maoyan Pro has become a key resource for the domestic film and television industry to gauge market performance abroad. Furthermore, during the Reporting Period, we officially launched Maoyan Pro’s PC Professional Edition, providing multi-dimensional and scenario-based data query combinations. This upgrade helps our industry partners better formulate their promotion and distribution strategies.

Maoyan Research Institute remains committed to leveraging precise and scientific data analysis to provide in-depth, systematic data services for films at every stage of their lifecycle, by closely monitoring market trends, audience preferences, and consumption habits. During the Reporting Period, Maoyan Research Institute published an array of data insights and analysis reports on audience profiles, viewing demands, and audience sentiments during multiple key seasons. Concurrently, Maoyan Research Institute actively expanded its early-stage user research, furnishing concept testing and IP research services for movie projects in development. This helps to keep the industry informed of audience feedback, thereby influencing content creation at its source.

OUTLOOK

As of March 26, 2025, the total box office for the domestic film market in 2025 had exceeded RMB24.2 billion. Notably, six movies, including NE ZHA 2 (哪吒之魔童閙海), were released during the Spring Festival season. Their total box office reached RMB9.51 billion with 187 million movie viewers, both setting new records for the Spring Festival season.

As a key participant in China’s film industry, we will adhere to the core development strategy of “Technology + Pan-entertainment” to deepen our presence in the pan-entertainment industry. With a firm commitment to improving our core competitiveness and profitability, we will uphold our original aspiration of serving the entire entertainment ecosystem, while driving high-quality development in the cultural and entertainment industry and making positive contribution to the development of a culture powerhouse.

We will continue to strengthen our strategic investment in the entertainment content business, further solidifying our leading advantages and capabilities in movie promotion and distribution. We will also deepen our participation in the distribution and production of blockbusters. Moreover, we will remain committed to the long-term development of animated movies, as well as value creation.Live entertainment remains one of our Company’s strategic development priorities. We will closely track market trends while continuing to increase our long-term investment in our performance business, enhancing our infrastructure and service capabilities to further strengthen our market competitiveness. At the same time, building on our existing platforms and business collaborations in Hong Kong and Macau, we will further expand commercial cooperation in these regions and beyond as we seek new growth opportunities and possibilities for the Company’s development.Furthermore, we will continue to explore and expand innovative business opportunities, such as the integration of AI technology into film creation and new collaborative scenarios with cinemas and other partners.

Last but not least, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all of our colleagues, shareholders, and industry partners for their trust and support. Let us forge ahead together and propel the high-quality development of the film industry, advancing China’s transformation into a cinematic powerhouse.

About Maoyan Entertainment

Maoyan Entertainment (1896.HK) is a leading technology-driven entertainment company providing diversified services and valuable industry insights in China’s pan-entertainment industry. The Company’s mission is to make it easy to create, deliver, and enjoy great entertainment. Based on its core development strategy of “Technology + Pan-Entertainment”, the Company has grown from an online movie ticketing service provider into an innovative one-stop platform with comprehensive entertainment services. For more information, please visit https://ir.maoyan.com/.

Investor Relations Contact

Maoyan Entertainment
Email: ir@maoyan.com

Piacente Financial Communications
Helen Wu
Email: maoyan@tpg-ir.com
Tel: +86-10-6508-0677

Non-IFRS Financial Measures

To supplement the consolidated results of the Company prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain additional non-IFRS financial measures (in terms of, operating profit, operating margin, profit for the period, net margin, profit attributable to equity holders of the Company, basic EPS and diluted EPS), have been presented in this press release. These unaudited non-IFRS financial measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, measures of the Company’s financial performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. In addition, these non-IFRS financial measures may be defined differently from similar terms used by other companies.

The Company’s management believes that the non-IFRS financial measures provide investors with useful supplementary information to assess the performance of the Company’s core operations by excluding certain noncash items and certain impact of M&A transactions. In addition, non-IFRS adjustments include relevant non-IFRS adjustments for the Company’s material associates based on available published financials of the relevant material associates, or estimates made by the Company’s management based on available information, certain expectations, assumptions and premises.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to the business outlook, forecast business plans and growth strategies of the Company. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are stated herein on the basis of the outlook at the time of this press release. They are based on certain expectations, assumptions and premises, some of which are subjective or beyond our control. These forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect and may not be realized in future. Underlying the forward-looking statements is a large number of risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these risks and uncertainties is included in our other public disclosure documents on our corporate website.

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SOURCE Maoyan Entertainment

Technology

Roborock Unveils Groundbreaking Saros Series in Australia

Published

53 minutes ago

March 30, 2025

Featuring World-First Robotic Arm Technology and Smarter, Slimmer Cleaning for Aussie Homes

SYDNEY, March 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Roborock, a global leader in ultra-intelligent home robotics, today announced the arrival of its revolutionary Saros Series in Australia, featuring three cutting-edge models designed to set a new benchmark in home cleaning: the flagship Saros 10, the Saros 10R, and the robotic-arm-powered Saros Z70.

The Saros Series debuts as Roborock’s most advanced cleaning lineup yet –combining AI-driven navigation, ultra-powerful suction, and first-of-its-kind robotic arm technology – to offer Australians smarter, more precise, and more efficient cleaning solutions tailored for modern living.

“We’ve spent the past 11 years listening to our customers – what they love, what slows them down, and what they wish their smart home helper could do better,” said Richard Chang, Founder & CEO of Roborock. “The Saros Series is the result of that feedback. From robots getting stuck under couches to mops dragging dampness across carpets, we’ve addressed it all. Whether it’s the Saros Z70 picking up small items off the floor, the Saros 10 gliding under low-clearance furniture, or the Saros 10R navigating cluttered spaces with AI smarts, each model is built to remove friction from your daily routine.”

Roborock Saros Z70: The World’s First Robotic Home Assistant with OmniGrip
Headlining the series is the Saros Z70, the world’s first* mass-produced robotic vacuum featuring OmniGrip – a five-axis robotic arm designed to lift and remove everyday obstacles like socks, towels, and even sandals under 300g**. This means no more pre-cleaning prep. The robotic arm integrates seamlessly with StarSight™ Autonomous System 2.0, an AI-powered navigation platform that recognizes up to 108 different obstacles and intelligently charts its cleaning path with a 21x higher sampling frequency than traditional LDS systems.

With 22,000 Pa suction power, Dual Spinning Mops, and VertiBeam™ Lateral Obstacle Avoidance, the Saros Z70 offers an unrivaled deep clean with a robot vacuum body height at 7.98cm – while also packing pet-friendly features like live video monitoring and pet zone detection.

Roborock Saros 10: Slim, Smart, and Seriously Powerful
At just 7.98cm thin, the Saros 10 is engineered to glide under furniture with ease—delivering a powerful clean without compromise. It debuts RetractSense™ Navigation, featuring a retractable LDS module and 100-degree Wide-Angle Vision for unparalleled spatial awareness. Coupled with Reactive AI 3.0, VertiBeam™, and a 22,000 Pa HyperForce® suction system, the Saros 10 sets a new standard for ultra-thin vacuums.

The Saros 10 also introduces VibraRise™ 4.0 mopping technology with an auto mop removal function. The mopping system is enhanced with dual sonic vibration zones and 8N of downward pressure, to tackle even the toughest stains. Its RockDock® Ultra 2.0 supports 80°C hot water mop washing, 60°C hot air mop drying, and 2.5-hour fast charging, delivering a hands-free and hygienic cleaning experience.

Roborock Saros 10R: AI-Powered Intelligence in a Slim Profile
The Saros 10R delivers flagship performance in Roborock’s slimmest robot body to date. Replacing the traditional LDS module with StarSight™ Autonomous System 2.0, the Saros 10R boasts real-time mapping via AI-powered dual-light 3DToF and RGB cameras. It recognises up to 108 different obstacles and maneuvers around obstacles along its way – making it ideal for households with kids, pets, and cluttered spaces.

With 19,000 Pa suction power, dual spinning mops, and a certified dual anti-tangle system, the Saros 10R is both powerful and low-maintenance. Its Multifunctional Dock 4.0 brings hot water mop washing, auto mop removal, smart charging, and full-fledge of self-maintenance features into the mix.

Built for Australian Homes
Saros Series models are compatible with the Roborock SmartPlan® 2.0 via the Roborock App, enabling AI-driven customisation of cleaning settings, schedules, and routines. While also featuring smart home support, compatible with Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple Watch and the Matter protocol in the future.

Pricing and Availability

The Roborock Saros Series – comprising the Saros Z70, Saros 10, and Saros 10R – will be available in Australia from today at leading Australian retailers across Roborock Australia’s official retail channels, such as Roborock’s Official Online Store and other Participating Authorised Retailers.

Roborock Saros Z70 – RRP: $3,999 AUD, available to pre-order now on Roborock’s Official Online Store.Roborock Saros 10 – RRP: $2,999 AUD, available now.Roborock Saros 10R – RRP: $2,899 AUD, available from May 2025.

ENDS

About Roborock 
Roborock is a leading smart cleaning brand renowned for its intelligent cleaning solutions. With a steadfast dedication to becoming a global leading smart appliance player, Roborock enriches lives with its innovative line of robotic, cordless, wet/dry vacuum cleaners, and washer-dryers. Rooted in a user-centric approach, our R&D-driven solutions cater to diverse cleaning needs in over 15 million homes across 170+ countries. Headquartered in Beijing and with strategic subsidiaries in key markets, including the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Germany, and South Korea, Roborock is dedicated to elevating its market presence worldwide. For more information, visit https://au.roborock.com/.

*Roborock was the first in the robotic vacuum industry to mass-produce this technology, launching it in January 2025.

**Based on internal testing carried out by the manufacturer. Actual results may vary due to environmental factors and software updates.

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SOURCE Roborock

Technology

Patent Index 2024: Japan ranks 3rd in European patent applications

Published

53 minutes ago

March 30, 2025

European Patent Office received nearly 200 000 patent applications last year, with Japanese companies and inventors filing 10.6% of the total Electrical machinery/energy, transport and computers are leading technology fields for Japanese inventions Tokyo 1st in global city ranking Sony Group is among the EPO’s Top 10 applicant companies Four Japanese companies among the EPO’s Top 25 applicants worldwide.

MUNICH and TOKYO, March 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — According to the latest Patent Index 2024, published today by the European Patent Office (EPO), Japan ranked third worldwide, following the United States and Germany. In 2024, Japanese companies and inventors filed a total of 21,062 patent applications, accounting for 10.6% of all filings at the EPO. While this represents a 2.4% decrease compared to 2023, Japan remains a powerhouse in technological advancements. Overall, the EPO received 199,264 patent applications worldwide last year, maintaining a steady level of patenting activity comparable to 2023 (199,452 applications), following three years of significant growth.

“Despite political and economic uncertainties, companies and inventors from around the world filed a high number of patents last year, underlining their technological prowess and their continued investment in R&D,” said EPO President António Campinos. “The EPO’s patent data is a clear roadmap for industry, policy, and investment priorities – tracking global innovation trends and offering insights into European patent application activity across industries and regions.”

Japanese companies excel across key technological sectors

Japanese companies remain leaders in multiple high-growth industries. Japan’s leading field for European patent applications, electrical machinery, apparatus, energy, saw a total of 2,077 Japanese patent applications, an 8.4% increase compared to 2023. In the area of battery technologies (an important sub-field of electrical machinery), Japanese companies filed 20% more patent applications at the EPO in 2024 compared to 2023. Japan’s second most important field, transport – which covers automotive, aircraft/aerospace and rail technologies, also experienced growth from Japan, with 1,357 applications, marking a 3.7% rise. The number 3 field was computer technology, with Japanese companies filing 20% more patent applications in several AI-related sub-fields..

Sony Group among the Top 10 in patent applications in Europe

Four Japanese companies ranked among the top 25 patent filers at the EPO. Sony Group led the way with 1,307 applications, securing the 9th position worldwide, up from 10th in 2023. It was followed by Panasonic with 990 filings, Canon with 760 applications, while Hitachi contributed 653. Sony was no. 7 applicant overall at the EPO in computer technology. 13th in measurement and 14th in digital communication. Toyota also made significant strides, ranking no. 4 for vehicle technology (an important sub-field of transport) and second in electric propulsion (electric vehicle) technology, with a notable 12.7% increase in patent applications compared to the previous year.

Japan also showed continued strength in innovation in battery technologies; in the battery-related sub-field of electrical machinery, apparatus, and energy, Japan placed three companies in the global top 10: Panasonic (4th place, 279 patents), Prime Planet Energy (8th place, 85 patents), and Toyota Motor(10th place).

Tokyo 1st in city ranking: Japan’s innovation hub and leading patent contributor

The Tokyo metropolitan area plays a pivotal role in driving Japan’s global technological presence, and it is Japan’s leading prefecture with a total of 11,592 patent applications at the EPO.. Tokyo is also the second largest region worldwide for European patent filings at the EPO, behind the US state of California and ahead of Guangdong (CN), Île-de-France (FR) and Bavaria (DE). Tokyo also leads the worldwide city ranking at the EPO. Its dominance in patent filings spans a diverse range of industries, including electronics, AI, clean energy, and mobility solutions. Following Tokyo, Osaka ranks second among prefectures, with 2,979 patent applications, while Aichi takes third place with 1,447 applications, marking an impressive 21.9% growth.

Unitary Patent gains in popularity in its second year

The Unitary Patent system, launched in 2023, continues to gain momentum, offering innovators from around the world simpler and more accessible patent protection across 18 EU Member States with a single request to the EPO. Unitary protection was requested for 25.6% of all European patents granted by the EPO in 2024 totalling over 28,000 requests. Patentees from EPO member states had the highest uptake rate, with 36.5% of their European patents transformed into Unitary Patents, followed by those from Republic of Korea (18.9%), China (17.9%), the US (16.0%), and Japan (7.9%, up from 4.9% in 2023).

Further information

View the Patent Index 2024 in fullExplore and customise statistics in our Statistics & Trends CentreAccess Unitary Patent statistics via our dedicated dashboard Download datasets (MS Excel) in the Download data section of our statistics pageCheck patent trends on the go with the EPO Data Hub mobile appRead studies on innovation trends at the Observatory on Patents and Technology EPO’s support for SMEs, universities, non-profit organisations and other smaller applicants

Official hashtag: #EPOPatentIndex

About the EPO
With 6 300 staff members, the European Patent Office (EPO) is one of the largest public service institutions in Europe. Headquartered in Munich with offices in Berlin, Brussels, The Hague and Vienna, the EPO was founded with the aim of strengthening co-operation on patents in Europe. Through the EPO’s centralised patent granting procedure, inventors are able to obtain high-quality patent protection in up to 45 countries, covering a market of some 700 million people. The EPO is also the world’s leading authority in patent information and patent searching.

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Technology

Patent Index 2024: R. Korea Secures Top 5 Spot for Second Consecutive Year, Proving Its Strength in Innovation

Published

54 minutes ago

March 30, 2025

European Patent Office (EPO) received nearly 200,000 patent applications last year, with 6.6% coming from the Republic of KoreaStrongest growth globally came from electrical machinery, apparatus, energy sector, where R. Korea was leading country of origin at the EPOSamsung tops the EPO company ranking, filing more than 5 000 European patent applications, with LG securing the No. 3 positionKorea recorded the highest growth rate in patent applications among the leading countries, with a 4.2% YoY increaseSurge in AI and battery technology patent filings

MUNICH, March 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The European Patent Office (EPO) published its annual Patent Index 2024 today, revealing that a total of 199,264 European patent applications were filed last year. This figure is nearly identical to that of 2023 (199,452), indicating that after three years of rapid growth, patent applications have stabilized.

Korea leads in patent application growth

For the second consecutive year, R. Korea ranked fifth country of origin with 13 107 patent applications filed at the EPO from Korean innovators, accounting for 6.6% of all applications filed. The United States topped the list, followed by Germany, Japan, P.R. China, and R. Korea. Notably, Korea recorded the highest growth rate among the top 10 countries, with a 4.2% year-on-year increase. In contrast, P.R. China saw a modest increase of 0.5%, while the U.S. (-0.8%) and Japan (-2.4%) saw declines. Patent applications from EPO member states grew 0.3%, and accounted for 43% of total filings. The remaining 57% came from non-European countries.

Major corporations driving innovation: Samsung reclaims No. 1 Spot

Samsung emerged as the top patent applicant in 2024, reclaiming the No. 1 position for the first time since 2020, surpassing Huawei. LG secured third place, while Qualcomm and RTX followed in fourth and fifth place, respectively. Among the top 10 patent applicants, two were Korean companies (Samsung at No. 1 and LG at No. 3), alongside four European companies, two U.S. companies, and one each from China and Japan. (See also “Top applicants from R. Korea in 2024”)

Global and Korean trends: Computer technology takes the lead, AI and battery innovation on the rise

For the first time, computer technology emerged as the top sector for patent applications at the EPO overall, with 16,815 filings in 2024. This was spurred by strong growth in AI-related technologies such as machine learning and pattern recognition. Computer technology was also R. of Korea’s third largest field for European patent applications. Among the top 10 sectors at the EPO the one with the highest growth rate was electrical machinery, apparatus, and energy, up 8.9% year-on-year, driven primarily by advancements in clean energy, particularly the sub-field of battery technology (+28.0%). Electrical machinery was also R.Korea’s most active field, and thanks to strong growth (+15.8%), R. Korea became the leading country of origin in 2024. The country also had three companies among the top 10 patent applicants for battery-related technologies: LG in 1st place, Samsung 3rd, and SK in 7th. Meanwhile, the digital communications sector, which encompasses mobile network technologies, declined overall at the EPO by 6.3%. It remained R. Korea’s second most important technology field and saw modest growth.

Unitary Patent gains popularity with Korean patent proprietors

Patentees from EPO member states had the highest uptake rate, with 36.5% of their European patents transformed into Unitary Patents, followed by those from Republic of Korea (18.9%, up from 9.7% in 2023), China (17.9%), the US (16.0%), and Japan (7.9%). The top Unitary Patent requestors in 2024 were Johnson & Johnson, Siemens, Samsung, Qualcomm, and Volvo Group.

Further information

Official hashtag: #EPOPatentIndex

About the EPO

With 6 300 staff members, the European Patent Office (EPO) is one of the largest public service institutions in Europe. Headquartered in Munich with offices in Berlin, Brussels, The Hague and Vienna, the EPO was founded with the aim of strengthening co-operation on patents in Europe. Through the EPO’s centralised patent granting procedure, inventors are able to obtain high-quality patent protection in up to 45 countries, covering a market of some 700 million people. The EPO is also the world’s leading authority in patent information and patent searching.

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