European Sme Fund: 20 million euros to protect intellectual property

The Ideas Powered for Business initiative includes the SME Fund program, a 20 million Euro fund, co-financed by the European Commission and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), which provides grants for small and medium-sized enterprises interested in protecting intellectual property rights at national and European level.

The program provides for financial support in the form of partial reimbursements for two types of services:

  • Service 1: 75% reimbursement of the costs of pre-diagnosis of intellectual property (IP scan). Intellectual property pre-diagnosis services are only available through participating EU national and regional IP offices. At the moment the Ip office of Italy does not provide the service, but this list can be consulted with the acceding countries.
  • Service 2: 50% reimbursement of trademark and/or design basic application fees at national, regional (Benelux) and EU level.

The voucher can have a maximum value of 1.500,00 Euro. Only one application can be submitted for one or both services, but always with a maximum refund of 1,500 Euro per requesting SME.

As far as service 2 is concerned, there is no limit to the number of IP rights (trade marks and/or designs) that the SME can apply for, it will be reimbursed the 50 % of the basic application fees up to a maximum of Euro 1.500,00.

Vouchers will be awarded to those who first request them.

Small and medium-sized enterprises based in one of Europe’s 27 member countries can apply during five time windows designated during 2021.

On the 31th January, the first application window closed, but the next four windows available to apply are:

  • 1 March 2021 – 31 March 2021:
  • 1 May 2021 – 31 May 2021
  • 1 July 2021 – 31 July 2021
  • 1 September 2021 – 31 September 2021

Mode

The voucher application process is divided into 3 steps:

  1. After reading the call for proposals and the requirements to access to the initiative, the SME fills out and submits the online application with the required documentation. The SME will receive an email confirming receipt of the application. If successful, you will receive a grant decision signed by the Office, which must be retained.
  2. The SME may proceed with the application for the service and with payment within 30 days of receipt of the grant decision.
  3. Once the services have been paid for, the SME may submit the reimbursement application via the link in the grant decision It will later receive an email confirming the reception of the payment request. After approval of the information and documentation transmitted, payment will be made within one month and beneficiaries will be informed by e-mail.

 

For further information, please consult the EUIPO website at: https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/it/grants-sme-fund#step_1