Guadalajara, Jalisco – Because it has strengthened its innovation ecosystem, after five years of being in second place, for the first time the state of Jalisco is ranked first nationally in patent applications and ranks second in invention applications.
According to the 2022 State Competitiveness Index of the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO), Jalisco is in first place in the sub-index of Innovation in Economic Sectors, which measures the ability of states to successfully compete in the economy, mainly in sectors with high added value, i.e. those that are intensive in knowledge and technology.
“We achieved first place nationally, both in absolute numbers and in contribution by the PEA (Economically Active Population); we beat Mexico City and the IMCO itself mentioned that, for the first time in history, a state that is not Mexico City, (where all the corporations are concentrated), took first place,” Larisa Cruz Ornelas, general director of Science and Technological Development of the Secretariat of Innovation, Science and Technology (SICyT), told El Economista.
According to the institute, in the 2020-2021 period, Jalisco registered 227 patents, obtaining first place nationally, while Mexico City had 196 patent registrations and Nuevo León ranked third with 100 patents.
“Jalisco currently contributes 20.3 percent of the national [patent] applications and if we talk about PEA, the state contributes six patent applications for every 100,000 inhabitants,” commented Larisa Cruz.
The official explained that the growth of Jalisco is due to the Intellectual Property strategy that the state undertook in 2014, which included three calls addressed to companies, universities, and the people of Jalisco in general.
“This is achieved thanks to the efforts of the entire innovative ecosystem made up of universities, research centers, companies and entrepreneurs. The support of the innovation ecosystem is fundamental to applying a public policy,” stressed the official.
She highlighted that, in 2019, SICyT Jalisco promoted the transfer of technology through the “From Science to the Market” strategy that includes, in addition to the protection of intellectual property, advice to both the productive sector and research centers and universities, to help them commercialize the technology or turn it into marketable products.
The director of Science and Technological Development of SICyT indicated that, for a state, having a greater number of patents means that companies and/or universities want to innovate or propose new technologies for the benefit of the population.
“It can be to cure some disease, to mitigate climate change, or it can be for an industry or an economic sector to be more efficient in order to generate more employment and higher profits, and improve competitive advantages. For that reason, all over the world, the most important international indicators measure patents and applications for inventions,” she explained.
Source: El Economista