Women and IP - Denmark
Statistics on Women Inventors: Denmark
A report from Denmark
(Article published in
IFIA-WIN, No. 3, January-June 1996)
The Danish Association for the Promotion of Inventions is to be congratulated for having participated in a study on women inventors jointly with the Danish Patent Office, the Danish Technology Institute/Danish Innovation Centre, and the Women's Museum. The report was published in Danish, end of 1995.
Some of the most striking points in this report:
- "Danish women have not been stimulated by special initiatives (organized women inventors associations, visibility in society, etc.) to promote the women inventor issue as has been done in other Nordic countries (Finland and Sweden in particular). The exhibition on women inventors which was set up by the Women's Museum in two towns was an exception and not the rule.
- Women accounted at the time (1990-1993 statistics) for 4.9% of patents granted to Danish citizens. This is a significant increase when compared with the average of 1.5% representing the period 1896 to 1990.
- More and more women invent as part of their job. However, the female contribution among employed inventors is difficult to measure. The above percentage concerns only independent inventors.
- In recent years, chemistry has become the major area in terms of patents granted to women. "Human necessities" was the major field of interest of women inventors during the period 1896 to 1990.
- In 1993, women made up 33% of the audience at courses and other information events organized by the Danish Patent Office. The percentage reached 50% when it came to courses concerning the patenting of foodstuff and medicine - areas where there has been an increase in the number of patents granted to women during recent years. These figures prove the strong interest shown by women inventors to improve their knowledge of inventions and patents, traditionally considered a man's field.
- Women inventors account for 9% of the inventors who seek advice and support annually from the Danish Technology Institute/Danish Innovation Centre. Again, this is a positive attitude when it is remembered that patents granted to women represented only 4.9% of the total. It should be noted that women inventors have stressed that the exchange of experience with other inventors, e.g., within an inventor association such as DaFFO, is very important.
- The report, while noting that women entrepreneurs represent 33% of new business growth in Denmark, stresses the necessity of promoting increased awareness among women of their potential for the development of new product ideas and the commercial follow-up."
- http://www.invention-ifia.ch/women_inventors_statistics.htm#Denmark
