Monday, 2nd February, the application period opens for this year’s Ideas Powered for Business Funds of the EUIPO, aimed at helping SMEs and self-employed professionals to co-finance activities related to industrial and intellectual property and to support the protection of their rights.
The SME Fund is a programme consisting of different vouchers that cover various forms of protection, such as trademarks, designs, patents and plant varieties. The deadline to apply for the grant is 4th December (2026), although the budget is often exhausted earlier, as applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. It is therefore advisable not to delay.
As regards how the vouchers operate, in this call they are structured as follows:
Trademark and design protection:
- At regional, national and EU level, up to EUR 700 per beneficiary is available. Eligible SMEs may request reimbursement of 75% of the fees for application, classes, examination, registration, publication and deferment of publication in order to obtain trademark and design protection in the EU.
- For trademarks and designs at international level, SMEs may request reimbursement of up to a maximum of 50% (also up to EUR 700 per beneficiary). This includes basic fees and designation fees, including EU Member States or the EUIPO. Processing fees charged by the Office of origin for an international trademark or design application are excluded.
- The activation period in both cases is 1 month, extendable to 2 months, unlike previous calls. The implementation period remains 6 months.
Patent protection
- At national level, the amount available is up to a maximum of EUR 1,000 per beneficiary, with reimbursement of 75% of the application, search, examination, publication and grant fees.
- For European patents, reimbursement is also 75% for application and search fees, up to a maximum of EUR 1,000 per beneficiary. In addition, legal costs for drafting and filing a new European patent application will be reimbursed at 50%, up to a maximum of EUR 1,500.
- The activation period for both schemes is now 1 month, extendable up to a maximum of 2 months. The implementation period has also been reduced compared to previous calls and is now set at 6 months.
Plant varieties
- Protection of Community plant varieties provides a maximum of EUR 1,500 per beneficiary and reimburses 75% of the online filing and examination fees.
- The activation period is also set at 1 month, extendable to 2 months, while the implementation period will be 12 months.
At PONTI & PARTNERS, we offer our services to facilitate this process for interested SMEs, taking care of the entire procedure. You may request further information or clarify any questions regarding these grants here.
