If you want to implement the latest research and development results, have them patented or prepare them for commercialisation, you can receive a grant under certain conditions. Securing intellectual property rights can be carried out and funded as part of numerous project-related programs in the area of research, development and innovation funding at both federal and state level.

One of the best known, most uncomplicated and therefore most popular funding options is the WIPANO funding program of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK). Here, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are supported in the patenting and utilisation of their innovative ideas through subsequent reimbursement of the costs of patent consulting and application amounting to 50% of the costs incurred.

In particular, WIPANO funding includes

• advice on an IP application and, if necessary, advice on an international application strategy,
• the novelty search with regard to the state of the art,
• the drafting of a patent or utility model application and, if necessary, the drafting of subsequent applications by a patent attorney as well as
• the official fees for the corresponding applications.

Furthermore, the economic implementation, in particular

• the preparation of a cost-benefit analysis,
• accompanying trademark and design applications,
• the development of a marketing concept and
• participation in trade fairs,
• the (external) construction of prototypes and
• further research and legal advice, e.g. on confidentiality and licence agreements, freedom-to-operate, collision research, market research,

are also funded.

Applicants must have a (production) site in Germany and operate the company as their main source of income.

For detailed information on WIPANO funding, please refer to our blog post “What’s new with the current WIPANO funding?” or https://www.innovation-beratung-foerderung.de/INNO/Navigation/DE/WIPANO/wipano.html.

The EUIPO offers another interesting funding opportunity specifically for IP with the “Ideas Powered for Business SME Fund“. The financial assistance program is an initiative of the European Commission and is intended to facilitate access to intellectual property rights for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU.

The program offers four different vouchers for eligible activities, which SMEs can apply for individually or in combination:

– Voucher 1: a preliminary diagnosis of intellectual property rights (IP scan) up to EUR 1,350 (the value varies depending on the country) to cover the costs of a so-called IP scan, whereby this must be carried out by specified institutions (e.g. patent information centres),

– Voucher 2: Fees for the registration of trademarks and designs at national, regional and EU level (all EU countries) up to EUR 1,000,

– Voucher 3: Fees for filing national patents with a national intellectual property office of an EU member state and/or European patents filed with the EPO up to EUR 3,500,

– Voucher 4: Fees for the application for Community plant variety rights up to EUR 1,500.

In the current funding period, voucher 3 (patents) is temporarily not available for new applications, as the funds have already been exhausted due to the high number of applications received.

For detailed information on the SME Fund, please refer to our blog post “Support program for SMEs by EUIPO: Ideas Powered for Business” or https://www.euipo.europa.eu/en/sme-corner/sme-fund/overview.

The funding database of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection provides an overview of other funding programs. In the funding database, you can search the 2,353 funding programs of the 1,405 funding organisations by funding region (e.g. Saxony, nationwide), funding area (e.g. consulting, digitalisation, mobility, but also business start-up & consolidation), funding applicant (e.g. educational institutions, start-ups, private individuals), funding type (e.g. consulting, loan, grant) and company size.

99 funding programs are related to property rights or property right applications, in particular advice and grants for property right applications.

The funding database also provides an overview of the 114 funding programs of the Sächsische Aufbaubank.

The programme “European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)/Just Transition Fund (JTF)-Research and Development – Project Funding (R&D Project Funding) 2021 to 2027″ funds research and development projects of small and medium-sized commercial enterprises with a permanent establishment in the Free state of Saxony. The amount of the grant depends on individual projects or joint projects and the size of your company (small or medium-sized enterprises). In addition to personnel costs, operating costs, costs for the acquisition or manufacture of instruments and equipment, costs for the acquisition of technological knowledge and patents acquired directly or under licence from independent third parties, provided that their acquisition is not the main purpose of the project, as well as costs for the registration of patents and other industrial property rights resulting from the project, are also funded.

The “Funding Guideline Market Introduction of Innovative Products, Processes or Services Grant European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2021 to 2027″ is intended to support you in the implementation of innovative ideas in marketable new products, processes or services or their improvement. In particular, the protection of your own research and development results, design, marketing and sales services, first-time standardisation, certification or standardisation, obtaining your own property rights, the adaptation or improvement of prototypes, sample processes and services, the instruments or equipment for the production of a series sample or a pilot series and one-off participation in a trade fair are supported.

The “European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)/Just Transition Fund (JTF)-Technology Transfer Funding 2021 to 2027″ program provides a grant for the acquisition of technological knowledge (patents, licences, unpatented technological knowledge) for process or organisational innovation by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) based or operating in Saxony. In addition to the costs for the acquisition of patents, know-how or non-patented technological knowledge acquired directly or under licence from third parties, the eligible costs include costs for contract research up to an amount of EUR 400.000 for the further development of the acquired technological knowledge or in connection with knowledge transfer from research institutions with the aim of introducing new or improved products, services or processes in the company, personnel costs for researchers, technicians and other personnel involved in the project employed by the technology user, the costs for the use of consulting services from technology intermediaries and technology providers in connection with the acquisition of technological knowledge (project management, innovation consulting and transfer services, technical support and training of employees) as well as project-related overheads.

“Horizon Europe“ is the European Union’s ninth research framework program and the world’s largest single funding program for research and innovation, which aims to implement the European Commission’s political guidelines, in particular the digital and green transitions. Horizon Europe is structured into three program pillars (Scientific Excellence, European Industrial Competitiveness, Innovative Europe) as well as the funding area of Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area.

The Accelerator of the European Innovation Council (EIC) as part of Horizon Europe is aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises including start-ups that develop disruptive, high-risk innovations with great market potential and offers both grants and equity capital to develop the innovation to market maturity. The EIC Accelerator is open to all topics. However, there are also annually changing thematic calls for proposals on technological challenges. Eligible costs include, for example, personnel costs incurred, costs for equipment or travel expenses (costs reimbursed at 70%), in particular for innovation activities such as development, demonstration and prototyping, activities relating to regulatory requirements and securing intellectual property as well as preparatory market authorisation.

State technology funding is intended to improve cooperation between science and industry and strengthen the innovative power of Saxon companies and thus their competitiveness. The funding is intended, for example, to help support innovation and the internationalisation of SMEs, make information on intellectual property rights more accessible, strengthen the economic implementation of patents from public research, expand cooperation and the exchange of experience between companies and between companies and universities and research institutions, support non-profit external industrial research institutions in investing in their infrastructure, introduce SMEs to cooperation with universities and research institutions, bring more technological knowledge to SMEs and turn research results into successful innovations more quickly.

HORIZON premiums (also known as state technology funding A) are intended to support small and medium-sized enterprises based or operating in Saxony (including craft businesses) in applying for EU funding from Horizon Europe (HORIZON EUROPE) and in implementing projects.

With the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM), the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) promotes market-oriented technological research and development projects by small and medium-sized enterprises in Germany. The programme aims to sustainably strengthen the innovative strength and competitiveness of companies, including the skilled trades and the entrepreneurial liberal professions, through individual projects, cooperation projects or innovation networks. In the case of individual and collaborative research and development projects, you can also apply for additional services from external third parties to support the market launch of the project results, in particular advice, support and training in the areas of knowledge transfer, acquisition, protection and exploitation of intangible assets (patent rights, licences, know-how or other intellectual property rights). The market launch services can be applied for from the time of approval, but no later than 12 months after the end of the project term.

We would be happy to advise you individually on the appropriate funding options. Please get in touch with us!