From 1 July, EU-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can apply for funding from the SME Fund through the Ideas Powered for Business program at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), which is part of the European Commission's IP Action Plan (IP Action Plan).
The new application window is open from 1 to 31 July. This is the penultimate of a total of five application windows that will be active in 2021.
The new scheme is open to all companies in the EU that meet the official definition of a SME (official definition of a SME)and offers financial support in the form of reimbursement of Trademarks and Designs applications fees and for IP Pre-Diagnostic services (IPPD or IP Scan), up to a maximum of EUR 1,500 per company.
The program gives an opportunity to SMEs to receive a 50% refund of the basic application fees for trademark and / or industrial design (at national, regional and European level) and a 75% refund of the fee for the IP Pre-Diagnostic service (IPPD service / IP Scan), which is provided in cooperation with the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria.
Information on requirements, timing and other details related to the Ideas Powered for Business program can be found at:
Ideas Powered for Business SME Fundили
The IP-Pre-diagnostic service (IP Scan) covers all intellectual property rights. SMEs who apply for an IPPD could also apply for a refund of 75% of a European patent application fee/s under the IPA4SME program, in cases where as a result of the performed IPPD it is established that the enterprise has innovation/s that is/are to be protected by aEuropean patent. The ceiling for eligible reimbursement costs for a European patent application fee/s is EUR 2500 EUR per SME.
Information on requirements, timing and other details related to the IPA4SME program can be found at: https://www.ipa4sme.eu/