China Overhauls Patent Rules to Boost Commercialization of Research Breakthroughs
• China aims to bridge gap between scientific breakthroughs and market adoption by revising patent rules to promote commercialization
• New guidelines require universities and research institutes to identify and database high-value patents aligned with industrial needs
• Patents will be provided to companies for evaluation on feasibility of market adoption
• Incentives will shift from patent applications to rewarding translation of patents into profitable market applications
• China has world’s largest number of patent applications but low rate of conversion to market, so policy changes aim to address this challenge