The Ideas Powered for Business SME Fund is a financial assistance program designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU access their intellectual property rights. This SME Fund is a European Commission initiative implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and will run from January 23 to December 8, 2023, or until all available funds have been used, respectively.
The program offers four different vouchers for eligible activities, which SMEs can apply for individually or in combination:
- Preliminary diagnosis of intellectual property rights (IP Scan) up to EUR 1,350 (the value varies by country) to cover the cost of IP Scan,
- Trademarks and designs at national, regional and EU level (all EU countries) 1,000 EUR to be used for eligible trademark and design fees,
- Patents 1,500 EUR to be used for eligible patent fees,
- Community Plant Variety Rights 225 EUR to be used for fees of an online application for Community Plant Variety Rights.
The IP Scan examines the SME’s business model, products and/or services, and growth plans to formulate an appropriate intellectual property strategy.
The SME must first apply for the grant and, if approved, will receive vouchers that are valid for four months. It should be noted that the SME must first make advance payments for the use of IP services. Subsequently, by submitting the reimbursement form, the vouchers will be activated, allowing the costs to be reimbursed through the program.
Please note: Funds are limited and therefore will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information, please visit https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/online-services/sme-fund or https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/help-sme-fund?utm_source=sme-fund-newuser-may-de&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=sme-fund-newuser-may-de.
We will be happy to assist you in drafting an EU trademark and/or design application or filing a patent application – also using the funding program.