Women in IPR: Inventorship and Investorship

A major report published by the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) reveals that despite doubling over the last three decades, the proportion of British female inventors remains under 10%. The UK IPO Female Participation in Inventorship Report analyzed UK-based patent applications from 1997 through 2024 using gender-name-matching data. [1]

Key UK Patent Statistics

• Current Share: UK-based female inventors made up 9.3% of total applicants, rising gradually from 4.3% in 1997.

  
  

• Parity Outlook: Due to very small year-on-year changes, the IPO predicts the UK will not achieve a 50% gender balance in patent applications until 2051 at the earliest.

  
  

• Top Sectors: Female-led patent applications are highest in other consumer goods (13.4%), followed by furniture and games (11.5%), and medical technology (7.9%).

  
  

• Team Structure: Women are statistically far more likely to take part in patenting as part of a mixed-gender inventor team rather than filing individually.

  
  

Government Funding and Policy Shifts

• Record Grants: The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology expanded the Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards, allocating a record £4.5 million in funding.

  
  

• Financial Packages: Individual trailblazing female innovators receive grants of up to £75,000, alongside bespoke IP business training and networking opportunities.

  
  

• AI & Copyright Protections: Under the Data (Use and Access) Act, the UK government is actively resolving creator-rights issues. This directly affects female

  creatives, as 22% of total European venture capital raised by women now heavily leverages AI technology.

  
  

• Global Legal Recognition: Major UK IP organizations are expanding initiatives through platforms like the Women's IP World Alliance to offer mentorship and highlight top British patent law practitioners globally.

  
  

  

  
  

Why IPR Matters to Women

• Protection for Entrepreneurs: Trademarks, copyrights, and patents protect the innovations and brand identities of female founders, helping them attract investment.

  
  

• Recent Progress: Recent WIPO tracking data indicates positive trends, with the proportion of global patent applications featuring at least one woman among the inventors rising to 37%.

  
  

Fair Trade Formalization: Experts advocate for educational and training resources to transition women working in the informal/counterfeit economies into legally protected, formal business models.

References: [1] Clarke-Williams, D. (2026, March 6). Less than one in ten UK patent applications are by women, report says. MLex. https://www.mlex.com/mlex/articles/2449966/less-than-one-in-ten-uk-patent-applications-are-by-women-report-says.