Innovation strategies of companies are most interesting when they are analyzed in the long run. For this research, panel information of innovative and patenting behavior is the most suitable. Patents are often used as innovation indicator and output variable in economic research so far. The main goal of the project is to connect the at the ZEW available patent data (OECD-Eurostat-Patent data, PATSTAT and the German Patent Office data) with the firm panel data (Mannheim Firm Panel, MUP). As a result a Patent-Company-Panel for about 20 years would be available. An advantage would be the availability of patent and trademark information for all companies registered in Germany, including very small and very young firms. More over the coverage of innovation output variables such as registered IPR will be of all technologies.