The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) will launch a new edition of the SME Fund – Ideas Powered for Business, a grant program aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises that want Protect your Intellectual Property assets and reduce the costs associated with registration trademarks, patents, designs and plant varietiesas well as strategic analysis through services of IP Scan.
Following the positive impact of the previous call, the SME Fund is consolidating itself as a key tool for SMEs and startups seeking to strengthen their competitiveness through the protection of their intangible assets.
Who can apply for SME Fund 2026 grants?
The SME Fund 2026 is aimed at SMEs established in the European Union that meet the European Commission's definition:
- Less than 250 employees, and
- Annual turnover equal to or less than 50 millones de euros, or annual balance sheet equal to or less than 43 millones de euros.
They can also benefit from this aid:
- Self-employedprovided they can prove their economic activity.
- Foundations, when less than 25% of its capital is held by public entities.
What support does the SME Fund 2026 offer? Amounts, percentages, and eligible expenses
The 2026 call for proposals is structured into four vouchers or bonds:
Voucher 1 – IP Scan: diagnosis and enforcement in Industrial Property
Eligible services:
- IP Scan (Preliminary Industrial Property Diagnosis): strategic analysis of the company's IP assets and recommendations for their protection.
- IP Scan EnforcementExpert advice in situations of possible infringement of Industrial Property rights.
Coverage:
- Refund percentage: 90%
- Maximum amount: €1.620
Voucher 2 – Aid for brands and designs
This bonus allows for a significant reduction in the costs associated with the registration of distinctive signs and industrial designs.
maximum amount: Until €700
National, regional and European Union coverage
- Trademark and design fees for acquiring protection, including:
- Application
- Personalized
- Examen
- Register
- Publication
- Postponement of publication, where applicable
- Refund percentage: 75%
international coverage
- International trademark and design fees according to:
- Madrid System (trademarks)
- The Hague System (designs)
- It includes basic fees, designation fees, and subsequent designations.
- Refund percentage: 50%
Voucher 3 – Assistance for registering patents in 2026
The SME Fund 2026 maintains strong support for the protection of technological innovation, covering both official fees and certain legal costs.
National patents
- Reports of search for state of the art.
- Official fees for national patent applications.
- Refund percentage: 75%
- Maximum amount: €1.000
European patents
- Rates of presentation and search before the European Patent Office (EPO).
- Refund percentage: 75%
- Maximum amount: €1.000
Legal costs
- Drafting and filing of European patent applications by professional representatives before the EPO.
- Refund percentage: 50%
- Maximum amount: €1.500
Maximum total amount for European patents and legal costs: €2.500
Voucher 4 – Aid for plant varieties
Maximum amount: To €1.500
Eligible concepts
- Online application fees.
- Examination fees before the Community Plant Variety Office (CVPO).
Refund percentage: 75%
What expenses are not covered by the SME Fund 2026?
It is important to keep in mind that these grants:
- They do not cover renewals of Industrial Property rights.
- They are not retroactive: only expenses incurred after the voucher has been granted are reimbursed.
- They do not subsidize expenses not directly linked to registration or IP services provided for in the call.
The impact of the SME Fund 2025: a call for proposals with very solid results
The summons of SME Fund 2025 It confirmed the practical usefulness of this program as a support tool for SMEs in matters of Industrial Property. The response was significant. with more than 35.800 applications submitted by more than 34.000 SMEs across the European Union.
The fund made it possible to finance over 31.000 Industrial Property activities, benefiting More from 25.000 companies, and achieved a budget execution of 14,7 millones de euros.
In this context, the SME Fund acted as a facilitator for many SMEs and enabled them to around 77% of the beneficiary companies They gained access for the first time to the protection of their Industrial Property rights, thus initiating the formal protection of trademarks, patents, designs or plant varieties.
This was complemented by agile management, with Average resolution times of around 8 working days and payments made in about 28 days, a relevant factor for planning investments in innovation and branding.
SME Fund application deadline 2026
The summons of SME Fund 2026 opens the February 2 2026.
Taking into account how the call for proposals worked in 2025, it is reasonable to expect that in 2026 the The deadline will remain open until the funds are exhausted, and aid will be granted in the order in which applications are received.However, this criterion will need to be confirmed when the official call for applications is published. It is also advisable prepare the application in advance, given that a significant part of the allocation is usually committed in the first few weeks (especially that allocated to patents and plant varieties).
Expert advice on EUIPO aid
En elzaburu We advise SMEs, startups and innovative companies on the planning, application and management of the SME Fund aid, as well as in the subsequent processing of brands, patents, designs y plant varieties.
If you wish to analyze how the SME Fund 2026 fits into your Intellectual Property strategy, of our TEAM It is at your disposal all with to help you make the most of this opportunity.