In 2024, the National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI) of Chile received a record-breaking number of patent applications, surpassing 4,000 for the first time. This marks a 2.67% increase compared to 2023. Additionally, 186 international patent applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) were submitted by Chilean inventors seeking protection in other countries, reflecting growing confidence in the intellectual property system.

Record-Breaking Year for Patent Applications

In total, INAPI received 4,102 patent applications in 2024, a 2.6% increase from the 3,995 applications filed in the previous year. This is the first time that INAPI's annual patent applications have exceeded the 4,000 mark, which includes requests for invention patents, utility models, and industrial designs.

Under the PCT framework, INAPI served as the receiving office for 186 international applications from Chilean inventors aiming to protect their innovations in other countries. This figure represents a 28.7% increase in PCT applications compared to 2023.

Types of Applicants

Regarding the types of applicants in 2024, 39% of the applications were submitted by universities, 32% by individuals, and 29% by legal entities. This distribution highlights INAPI’s continued growth in PCT filings, even after the pandemic, and reflects the increasing participation of universities and individuals in intellectual property processes.

Patent Processing Efficiency

INAPI has established itself as one of the most efficient patent offices globally. On average, it takes 2.6 years to process a patent application, placing INAPI among the most efficient patent offices in the world.

INAPI’s Role in PCT International Searches and Preliminary Examinations

In 2024, INAPI received 293 requests for international patent searches and preliminary examinations (ISA/IPEA), which is a 6.5% increase from the previous year. This highlights the growing importance of INAPI as a service provider in the international patent system.

Comments from INAPI's Director

Esteban Figueroa, the Director of INAPI, commented on the 2024 data: "The data shows an increasing interest in using the industrial property system to protect technological development through the acquisition of exclusive and temporary rights."

About the PCT System

The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) is the world’s most widely used international patent registration system, with 158 member countries. Chile has been a member since 2009. Currently, only 25 patent offices globally serve as PCT International Authorities (ISA/IPEA), with Brazil and Chile being the only two countries in Latin America that fulfill this role.

INAPI, as a PCT ISA/IPEA, provides services to applicants from 14 countries: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.

This milestone reflects Chile’s growing role in the global intellectual property landscape and the increasing trust in its national system for protecting innovation. 

Source: www.inapi.cl