The Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Fund - 2025 "Ideas for Business" is a grant scheme designed to help EU and Ukraine-based small and medium enterprises protect their intellectual property (IP) rights. The SME Fund is an initiative of the European Commission, implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and will run from 3 February 2025 to 5 December 2025.
The SME Fund offers financial support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) established in the European Union. According to the Recommendation of the European Commission 2003/361, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are defined as companies whose number of employees and economic weight are below certain limits, as follows:
A medium-sized enterprise has up to 250 employees, a turnover of up to EUR 50 million and a book value of assets of up to EUR 43 million;
A small enterprise has up to 50 employees and a turnover or book value of assets up to EUR 10 million;
A micro-enterprise has up to 10 employees and a turnover or book value of assets of up to EUR 2 million. A micro-enterprise is also a type of SME.
This year's edition of the SME Fund offers 4 different vouchers that can be used to reimburse costs for various industrial property activities. They are divided into a total of 4 categories as follows:
Voucher 1 - IP Scan & IP Scan Enforcement
The common name - IP Scan covers two categories of services - IP Scan and IP Scan Enforcement. The vouchers provided by the Fund have different maximum thresholds depending on the Member State (you can find a list of amounts here), with 90% of the costs incurred being reimbursed up to the maximum amount indicated. Not all EU Member States provide these services. Both categories have their peculiarities.
1.1. The IP Scan Enforcement helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that face problems related to infringement of intellectual property rights (IPR). Whether they themselves are accused of infringement or another party infringes their rights through activities such as counterfeiting and piracy, the IP Scan Enforcement Service offers support and various strategies to deal with these problems.
1.2. The IP Scan or IP Pre-Diagnosis Service enables you to consult directly with an IP expert designated by the National IP Office. These experts perform a comprehensive assessment of the company's business model, products, services, and growth plans. Through this diagnosis, an assessment is made as to which intangible assets should be protected and how IP can help the growth of the business. IP Scan is not a legal service. Its purpose is to provide guidance on how to register and benefit from your intellectual property now and in the future.
2. Voucher 2 - Trademarks and designs.
Each SME can apply for reimbursement of up to 75% of trademark and/or design application fees, fees for additional classes, as well as fees for examination, registration, publication and deferred publication at national, regional and EU level. The maximum threshold for reimbursement is EUR 700.
The vouchers for patents and plant varieties (Vouchers 3 and 4) are currently exhausted and no new applications will be accepted until new funding is granted. Applications for registration of trademarks, designs and IP Scan are still being approved, but may be exhausted before the closing date of the Fund (5 December 2025).
Procedure
Applications for vouchers from the Fund are made entirely electronically by submitting them to the EUIPO. The application is processed within 15 days, within which the application is either approved or rejected. Whether approved, a so-called "Grant Decision Award" is provided.
Activation of the voucher(s) is a significant step in making effective use of the SME Fund grant and in securing reimbursement of admissible fees for which one has the right to apply. It should be noted that from the date of receipt of the grant award decision, a time limit within which to activate the voucher will apply. This time limit is, as follows, 1 month (extendable to 2 months) to start the activities and submit a request for reimbursement for trademarks and designs, patents and plant varieties before expiry. The IP diagnostic period, in its two varieties, has a term of 6 months to activate the IP scan voucher(s) by submitting a reimbursement claim. This period shall not be extended.
The latter ensures that one will be able to make the most of the grants from the SME Fund. Any activity started after the expiry date of the voucher(s) will not be considered eligible for reimbursement. The following procedural stages can therefore be identified, as follows:
1. Application for a voucher from the Fund;
2. Approval of the application;
3. Registration of brand/service IP scan;
4. Payment for the requested services;
5. Submitting a request for reimbursement (voucher activation);
6. Reimbursement by EUIPO in the amounts provided.
In view of the above, if you are planning to register a trademark, taking early action to apply for a voucher from the Fund would significantly alleviate the financial costs of your company.
Should you have any questions regarding the SME 2025 Fund voucher application, please do not hesitate to contact us at office@peshkovski.bg.
This publication is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or legal advice.
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