Patents a deciding factor in technology awards

The number of patents owned by scientists is playing a more significant role in determining whether or not they will be awarded China's science and technology prizes, experts say.

For his achievements in the development of safer pesticides, Song Baoan, a professor from Guizhou University, recently won a Science and Technology Innovation Award this year from the Hong Kong-based Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation. It is the most influential non-government prize in China.

He also owns eight related invention patents.

In fact, nearly all the 50 winners of the foundation's prize this year are holders of invention patents, and on average they each own 17.8, which is an increase of about 50 percent compared to the last session.

It is also a common phenomenon in China's other major science and technology awards, experts say.

For example, the gold prize winner of the 2011 National Science and Technology Progress Award had 21 related invention patents.

"Invention patents reflect the level of a country's technological innovation. More importance has been attached to patents in China since the central government implemented a state intellectual property strategy in 2008," said Duan Ruichun, secretary-general of the foundation.

The number of patent applications has increased too. In 2011, the State Intellectual Property Office recorded more than 1.63 million patent applications, including some 526,000 for invention patents, ranking first in the world.

Gao Wen, member of the HLHL Foundation awards selection committee, believes the increase in the number of invention patent shows China is making a progress in terms of its indigenous innovation capacity.

China's leaders are calling for more indigenous innovation, which means the country must develop its own technologies and proprietary products to help enterprises across the nation transform from manufacturers into innovators and product designers, government officials have said.

The patent boom also indicates that China is developing a good environment for scientific innovation. The central government is helping research staff enhance their capabilities in terms of patent utilization, protection and management, Gao told China Intellectual Property News.

While analysts recognize that invention patents are surely vital to a country's core competitiveness, they say it is hard to make real profits without commercialization.

Converting research ideas into marketable products is the dream of most inventors. For Song, the dream came true.

His highly efficient and low-toxicity pesticides can help China decrease its dependence on imports as well as ease the pollution and other negative effects from pesticide residue on soil. Farmers can also enjoy a much lower price compared to imports.

But, commercialization is too uncertain for many inventors, and often a bridge is needed, experts say.

Fortunately, Chinese government agencies at all levels have started to promote patent commercialization.

A patent operation center was established in Jiangsu province this year to help companies find potential buyers of their patents. And similar services can also be found in Zhejiang, Shanghai, Tianjin and Beijing.

In addition, many provincial governments provide financial support to help local companies turn their patented technologies into marketable products.

For individual inventors, the China Association of Inventions will serve as the bridge.

"China has a large number of individual inventors - about 400,000 on record," said Lu Dahan, secretary-general of the association, at a forum. "And, we have been helping them explore paths toward commercialization in recent years."

In addition to monetary awards, Lu said the association will also help inventors cooperate with companies by transferring their patents or contributing the patents as equities.

Moreover, "the association will introduce more risk investment institutions to provide financial support", Lu said.

haonan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/16/2012 page17)