Fondazione GRINS
Growing Resilient,
Inclusive and Sustainable
Galleria Ugo Bassi 1, 40121, Bologna, IT
C.F/P.IVA 91451720378
Finanziato dal Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR), Missione 4 (Infrastruttura e ricerca), Componente 2 (Dalla Ricerca all’Impresa), Investimento 1.3 (Partnership Estese), Tematica 9 (Sostenibilità economica e finanziaria di sistemi e territori).
Open Access
THEMATIC AREAS
RESOURCES
We propose a novel taxonomy for identifying circular patents, focusing on 75,667 patents filed by Italian firms and granted by the European Patent Office between 1997 and 2019. The methodology combines Cooperative Patent Classification and International Patent Classification codes with a keyword-search algorithm, which flags patents as circular if titles or abstracts contain three or more CE-related terms. The algorithm, refined using a sample of 1,000 patents, substantially broadens the scope of circular patents beyond the set of waste patents typically used as a proxy. We analyze the evolution of Italian circular patents, their sectoral, geographical, and technological distributions, and the network of keywords found in their titles and abstracts.
Keywords: Circular Economy, Circular Innovation, Patent classification systems, Keywords-search analysis, Italy
KEYWORDS
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This study was funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU, in the framework of the GRINS - Growing Resilient, INclusive and Sustainable project (GRINS PE00000018). The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, nor can the European Union be held responsible for them.
CITE THIS WORK