Strategic Patent Portfolio Management in the Sodium-Ion Battery Industry: Navigating Innovation and Competition

Abstract

In the rapidly evolving landscape of energy storage technologies, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional lithium-ion batteries. SIBs exhibit moderate to high specific energy ranging from approximately 70 to 170 Wh/kg, ensuring suitability for diverse applications. Furthermore, with their abundance of raw materials and potential for lower costs, sodium-ion batteries are attracting significant interest from researchers, manufacturers, and investors. This heightened interest is evidenced by the exponential growth in the number of patents filed for SIBs, totalling 142 648 patents. This surge in patent filings underscores the growth pattern of SIBs as promising alternatives in the energy storage landscape. In this dynamic environment, securing and maintaining a robust patent portfolio is imperative for companies and innovators to establish a competitive edge, enabling them to capitalize on the increasing market demand. This perspective examines the strategies involved in building, protecting, and managing a robust patent portfolio as well as provides intellectual property challenges and patent filing opportunities in SIB technologies.