NOF’s Intellectual Property

　The NOF Group aims to create new value in the three fields of Life/Healthcare, Environment/Energy, and Electronics/IT, and is actively promoting the development of new products and technologies while proactively pursuing intellectual property rights. We also respect intellectual property rights and are making efforts for human resources development.

Status of applications in the three prioritized business fields

　In the Life/Healthcare, Environment/Energy, and Electronics/IT fields, we formulate intellectual property strategies based on management strategies and acquire the necessary rights.
　Our number of patents held in the Life/Healthcare field has been growing in line with the expansion of global operations.

  • The number of domestic patents held in the life and healthcare field is expected to be 593 in FY2020, 612 in FY2021, 643 in FY2022, and 656 in FY2023, while the number of patents in the environment and energy field is expected to be 291 in FY2020, 284 in FY2021, 281 in FY2022, and 23, 271 in FY2023, 323 in FY2020, 343 in FY2021, 274 in FY2022, 286 in FY2023, and 7 in FY2020, 7 in FY2021, 6 in FY2022, and 5 in FY2023 in the electronics and information fields.
    　　　　Number of domestic patents held
  • The number of foreign patents held is expected to be 652 in FY2020, 656 in FY2021, 681 in FY2022, and 712 in FY2023 in the life and healthcare field, 205 in FY2020, 174 in FY2021, 181 in FY2022, and 23, 200 in the electronics and information field, 229 in FY2020, 207 in FY2021, 160 in FY2022, 168 in FY2023, and 4 in other fields in FY2020, 3 in FY2021, 4 in FY2022, and 7 in FY2023.
    　　　　Number of foreign patents held

Promotion of joint research and intellectual property rights acquisition

　Based on our Corporate Philosophy of “Contributing to humanity and society as a corporate group that creates new value through the power of chemistry, from the biosphere to outer space,” we work to create new businesses by actively promoting open innovation and the discovery of promising themes both inside and outside the company.
　Centered on the research divisions of the NOF Group, including the Advanced Technology Research Laboratory and the New Business Development Department, we promote the development of new products and technologies through joint research and commissioned research with industry, academia, and the government, and acquire effective rights to these products and technologies.
　In addition, we offer invention rewards for patents that make a significant contribution to the company’s profits. In 2024, both the number of rewards and the amount of rewards were at an all-time high. By increasing incentives for inventors, we are working to increase motivation to produce inventions that highly contribute to profits


Expansion of intellectual property human resources
　We hire qualified patent attorneys and provide support for the acquisition of patent attorney qualifications to enhance the expertise of our personnel working in this area. We also provide intellectual property education to inventors to raise the level of intellectual property throughout the Group.


Response to risks
　In order to respect the intellectual property rights of others and avoid disputes, we conduct regular patent searches to ensure patent clearance.


Employee invention rewards
　In April each year, NOF examines employee inventions and awards invention rewards to inventors

  • This is a group photo of the two rows of people in front and back. The seven people who received awards are seated in the front row with their certificates, and the chairman and president are seated on either side of them. There are four people standing behind them at equal intervals.
    　　　　Ceremony for the employee
    　　　　 invention reward

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