GET SUPPORT FROM €20 MILLION FUND TO HELP SMES SECURE IP RIGHTS

This fund is one of the actions from the European Commission’s IP Action Plan. It consists in a 20 million Euro grant scheme created to help European SMEs access their intellectual property rights and develop their IP strategies to better protect it at national, regional or EU level. 5 calls for applications will be planned targeting SMEs willing to scan their IP potential (see below).

WHAT DO YOU GET

SMEs are invited to apply for reimbursements of up to €1,500 for trademark and design applications^[1] at National, Benelux and EU level, covering up to 50% of corresponding fees.

HOW AND WHEN TO APPLY?

Any SME from the 27 EU Member States are eligible to apply. (see official EU definition of a SME)

The application windows will open according to the following timetable:

The application/implementation process is three-step:

1. Apply online here and read carefully the call for proposals as well as the checklist attached to the call.
2. If selected for funding: apply online and pay for your trade mark and/or design within 30 days of receiving your grant decision. Trade marks and designs can be applied for at one of the national IP offices of the EU (national level), in the Benelux Office of Intellectual Property, or with the EUIPO (covering all the Member States of the EU).
3. Once paid for the services: Submit your request for reimbursement using the link available in the grant decision

Grants will be awarded on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

Further information / questions: Frédéric Suche (fsuche@hub.brussels) 

[1] SME fund also offer “IP pre-diagnostic services”, which are only available through participating national and regional IP offices of the EU