The SME Fund is a European Commission initiative implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and will run from 23 January 2023 to 8 December 2023. This fund provides vouchers for intellectual property protection to small and medium-sized enterprises within the EU.
This year, 4 vouchers have been published:
Voucher 1 – IP scan – get up to EUR 1 350 on expert advice for your IP strategy;
Voucher 2 – trade marks and designs – save EUR 1 000 to use for eligible fees;
Voucher 3 – patents – save EUR 1 500 to use for eligible fees;
Voucher 4 – community plant variety – gain EUR 225 for the online application fee.
For the first time, the SME Fund also helps SMEs to apply for protection with the Community Plant Variety Office, with the aim of stimulating innovation, development, and investment in this sector.
This is particularly relevant to the European breeding sector because, as shown by the recent EUIPO-CPVO study on the impact of the CPVR system on the EU economy and the environment, most of the companies protecting their innovations with CPVRs are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Funds are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you have any questions, you can refer to the EUIPO SME Fund Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a series of useful links: