Collaborations Shape Innovation at German Universities
The newly released IW Short Report 2026 by the Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft highlights the important role universities play in Germany’s innovation ecosystem. RWTH Aachen University ranks among the country’s leading universities for patent applications, with more than 220 patent applications in the analyzed period.
What makes this especially relevant: many university patents emerge together with external partners, showing that impactful innovation is often the result of close collaboration between science and industry.
At RWTH Innovation, we support this process by empowering inventors, fostering spin-offs, and helping bridge the gap between science and industry.
