Mexico Aims to Surpass 1,000 Patents After Record in 2024: IMPI

Mexico achieved a record 700 domestic patents in 2024 and aims to surpass 1,000 this year, according to the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI). This achievement signals a consolidation of the country's innovation capabilities and aligns with a robust strategy to protect industrial property rights.

“Each year, the institute receives more than 220,000 trademark applications, an indicator that the economy is moving,” says Santiago Castillo, Director General, IMPI.

The increase in patent registration is part of a broader national strategy designed to strengthen the value of Mexican production in global markets. With an export volume reaching US$617 billion during 2024, protecting industrial property becomes a strategic factor. National certifications, like the "Hecho en Mexico" mark, act as the standard to communicate the quality and origin of the Mexican products, a key differentiator in a global commercial landscape characterized by trade tensions.

The IMPI’s directive is to expand the scope of designations of origin and geographical indications while intensifying actions against counterfeiting and piracy. These efforts aim to safeguard the integrity of value chains and the reputation of the country's industries.

In line with its objective to protect industrial property, the IMPI has executed a series of actions under "Operation Clean-Up." This initiative focuses on dismantling networks that trade in counterfeit goods, which represent unfair competition for compliant companies, erode consumer confidence, and generate tax losses.

Seizures at key locations, including in Mexico City and Guadalajara, have secured products with a value exceeding MX$1 million (MX$53,275 million). The IMPI holds 264,000 confiscated items from the Izazaga 89 operation in Mexico City alone. These goods will be destroyed once the Attorney General's Office (FGR) concludes its investigation. 

Counterfeit merchandise has been destroyed in collaboration with trademark holders. In Nuevo Leon, for example, 9,500 counterfeit Nike and Jordan items valued at nearly MX$500,000 were destroyed, along with unauthorized merchandise from the Tigres soccer club.