The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has announced the new call for proposals for the 2025 “Ideas Powered for Business” SME Fund, a grant program aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union to promote the protection of their industrial and intellectual property assets.
This initiative offers financial assistance that can be used to cover 50% of the associated costs (up to €1,500) for the protection of trademarks, designs, patents and plant varieties.
In this article, we will explore who can benefit from these grants, what expenses are eligible for funding, and what the application process entails.
Who is eligible for the EUIPO 2025 grants?
The SME Fund 2025 is intended for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) established in the European Union that meet the criteria defined by the European Commission.
Generally speaking, a company is considered an SME if it meets these two requirements:
- It has fewer than 250 employees.
- Its annual revenue is 50 million euros or less, or its annual balance sheet total is 43 million euros or less.
At the same time, the following groups may also be eligible for this assistance:
- Self-employed individuals, provided they can verify their economic activity with an official certificate.
- Foundations in which less than 25% of the capital is held by public entities.
What expenses are eligible for reimbursement under the SME Fund 2025?
The EUIPO program offers financial assistance to partially cover the costs associated with applying for and protecting various industrial property rights. The different eligible categories are listed below:
Prepared in-house based on the guide published by the EUIPO
1. Trademarks and Designs
- Maximum amount: up to 700 €.
- National, regional, and European coverage:
- Fees for trademarks and designs to obtain protection for them in the EU: including application, class, examination, registration, publication, and deferral of publication fees.
- Reimbursement percentage: 75%
- International Coverage:
- Fees for international trademarks and industrial designs charged for applications (including basic fees, designation fees, and subsequent designation fees) under: the international trademark system (Madrid System) and the international design system (Hague System).
- Reimbursement percentage: 50%
2. Patents
- National coverage:
- Patent prior art search rates for national patents conducted or coordinated by the IP offices of Member States: filing, examination, grant, and publication of national patents.
- 75% reimbursement, up to a maximum of €1,000
- European Coverage:
- Fees for European patent protection (filing and search) charged by the EPO.
- 75% reimbursement, up to a maximum of €1,000
- Legal fees for the drafting and filing of patent applications by professional representatives with the European Patent Office (EPO)
- 50% reimbursement, up to a maximum of €1,500
- The maximum grant amount for patent protection at the European level is €2,500.
- Fees for European patent protection (filing and search) charged by the EPO.
3. Plant Varieties
- Maximum amount: up to 1,500 €.
- Coverage: Fees for filing and examining applications with the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO).
- Reimbursement percentage: 75%.
Please note that grants only cover expenses related to the registration of new IP rights; they never cover renewals. Similarly, grants are not retroactive; that is, eligible expenses must be incurred after the grant is approved. If they were incurred prior to that, they will not be reimbursable.
How do I apply for EUIPO grants?
The application process for the SME Fund “Ideas Powered for Business” is divided into several phases:
- Submitting the Application: You may apply for different types of financial aid either simultaneously or separately.
- EUIPO Review: The office reviews the application and issues its decision within approximately 15 business days.
- Activation of Granted Grants: Once the grant is approved, the recipient has one month to activate it (with the possibility of a one-month extension). Activation occurs when at least one industrial property activity is carried out and the reimbursement request is submitted.
- Use of the grant and reimbursement requests: If the recipient does not use the full amount in the first request, they have an additional six months to carry out other eligible activities and submit reimbursement requests until the balance is exhausted.
Application Deadline and Funding Allocation for the SME Fund 2025
The call for applications will remain open until December 5, 2025. However, applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, and funding is limited. The total budget for this round is 18 million euros, so it is recommended that you submit your application as soon as possible.
More information and advice
For more details on this call for proposals, the EUIPO has published a guide with guidance for applicants, which you can find on its website.
If you are interested in applying for these grants to protect your industrial property assets, at Elzaburu we have a team of experts who can advise you on preparing and processing your application, ensuring that you make the most of this opportunity. Please feel free to contact us.