SME Fund Vouchers: Intellectual Property Protection for SMEs
Protecting intellectual property is an essential part of doing business today, whether it's securing a brand, technical innovation or other industrial rights. For SMEs, the process of registering trademarks or patents can be financially and administratively challenging. That is why EUIPO has come up with a special SME Fund programme that provides significant financial support in the form of vouchers for IP protection services. This fund is designed to make it easier for Czech companies to access tools that will ensure their competitive advantage not only on the local but also on the global market.
In 2023, the EUIPO distributed €27.1 million from the SME Fund to nearly 35,000 applicants from across the EU, and it looks like 2024 will be no different.
Under this programme, entrepreneurs can receive financial support for services such as IP Scan, trademarks or patents, allowing them to better protect their innovation and business potential. This article discusses in detail the opportunities offered by the fund and how Czech companies can get support to develop their intellectual property.
Who is eligible for a grant from the SME Fund?
Only SMEs established in the European Union that meet the following requirements can apply for a grant from the SME Fund:
- The SME has a maximum of 250 employees, a turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million and a balance sheet not exceeding EUR 43 million,
- a small enterprise with a maximum of 50 employees and a turnover or balance sheet not exceeding EUR 10 million,
- a micro-enterprise has a maximum of 10 employees and a turnover or balance sheet not exceeding EUR 2 million.
The application may be submitted by the owner, an employee or an authorised external representative authorised to act on behalf of the enterprise.
IP Scan: a comprehensive IP overview for your business
The IP Scan service provided by the EUIPO is a tool to help SMEs map their IP potential. In practice, IP Scan means a detailed analysis of all the IP assets a company may own or create - for example, a company logo, brand name, product patents, industrial designs or trade secrets. As part of this service, IP specialists assess a company's specific needs, identify protectable rights and analyze protection options. This service involves working with intellectual property experts to conduct a detailed analysis of the business model, products and strategies. Thanks to IP Scan, a company has a clear view of what parts of its business can be legally protected and how to prevent potential misuse of their rights. The goal of IP Scan is to create a long-term strategy for protecting intellectual property and maximizing the company's innovation potential.
IP Scan Enforcement: enhanced protection against infringement
In addition to the standard IP Scan analysis, EUIPO also offers IP Scan Enforcement, a service aimed at enforcing IP rights. This service can be used both by businesses wishing to defend themselves against infringement of their rights and by businesses that have themselves been accused of infringement. This tool helps businesses not only to identify their protectable rights, but also to monitor how these rights are being respected and how they can effectively combat infringement. The service consists of advice from legal experts who provide the applicant with a full report based on the information provided, with recommendations for further action and preventive measures. In particular, IP Scan Enforcement provides protection against the unauthorised use of trademarks and patents, which is key to remaining competitive in the market.
Benefits of IP Scan and IP Scan Enforcement for Czech companies
SMEs from the Czech Republic can benefit from IP Scan and IP Scan Enforcement services under the SME Fund offered by the EUIPO. By applying for these funds, applicants can receive up to 90% of the financial support on a voucher basis, which significantly reduces the cost of IP protection and enforcement. For companies seeking to protect their innovations in foreign markets, IP Scan is a key tool to expand their business activities and ensure the security of their intellectual property. In turn, IP Scan Enforcement enables them to effectively defend against unauthorised copying and misuse of rights, which is particularly important when expanding into new markets
Trademark vouchers: key support for your brand
Entrepreneurs who want to protect their brand in the Czech Republic and abroad can take advantage of trademark vouchers By applying for a subsidy, the applicant can receive a voucher to cover up to 75% of the costs of registering a trademark at national, European or international level. With the help of this voucher, small and medium-sized enterprises can ensure the protection of their brand, thus preventing its unauthorised use by competitors. Moreover, registering a trademark helps to increase the value of a business and ensures its safe expansion into new markets, which is essential for the growth and development of a company.
Patent vouchers: protecting technical innovation
Patent vouchers are designed for businesses that are engaged in technical innovation. EUIPO offers up to 75% coverage of the costs of filing a patent at national or European level under the SME Fund. This voucher is an essential tool for protecting technical solutions that can be key to maintaining a competitive advantage. In addition, it allows companies to protect their innovations from unauthorised copying and misuse in international markets. Patenting not only protects a company's technological development, but also helps to strengthen its market position and increases its value to potential investors.
How Czech companies can use trademark and patent vouchers
Small and medium-sized enterprises from the Czech Republic have the opportunity to receive financial support for the protection of intellectual property in the amount of up to EUR 1,000 for trademarks and EUR 3,500 for patents under the SME Fund. These vouchers cover most of the costs of administrative fees and applications and are therefore an affordable solution for companies wishing to protect their innovations and brands on the national and European market. Thanks to these tools, Czech businesses can expand abroad with the confidence that their intellectual property is protected.
How to apply for a grant from the SME Fund?
If a company is interested in having part of the costs associated with a trademark or patent application covered by the SME Fund, it must first apply for a subsidy from the SME Fund before filing the trademark or patent application itself, and only after receiving the EUIPO decision on the subsidy and the voucher must it file the trademark or patent application itself. The applicant must first pay all fees in full himself and only after the voucher has been redeemed will he be reimbursed for the relevant amount of the voucher.
Finally, it should be added that for this year the EUIPO has already exhausted the funds earmarked for patent subsidies and it is possible that the receipt of applications to the trade mark subsidy fund, which accounted for about 94% of all applications in 2023, will soon be suspended.
If you haven't had time to take advantage of the program yet, don't despair. Supporting SMEs is one of the key points of the EUIPO's strategic plan for 2025 and it is therefore to be expected that a similar programme will be launched next year.