Support and Resources for Businesses

The Ideas Powered for Business SME Fundis a grant scheme designed to help EU small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) obtain intellectual property (IP) rights. The SME Fund is a European Commission initiative implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and national IP Offices to financially support European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Voucher 1

From 1 May 2021, the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland (IPOI) began to offer Irish SMEs and micro enterprises the possibility of obtaining 90% off the cost of an IP pre-diagnostic service (IP scan).  Each SME can be reimbursed up to a maximum of EUR 1,350.  The pre-diagnostic service or IP scan is aimed at providing a practical, objective and factual analysis of an SMEs business model, products and/or services and growth plans to help achieve a better understanding of the value of intellectual property for a business and, in particular, to identify the intellectual assets held and the possible IP protection options for those assets. It should also assist in shaping and planning an enterprises IP business strategy now - and in the future. 

Read the guidelines for SME’s and micro enterprises interested in availing of the pre-diagnostic service. 

---------------------------------------

Voucher 2

Irish SME’s can receive 75% off the basic application fees of national, regional and EU trade marks and designs. Each SME can be reimbursed up to a maximum of EUR 1,000.

---------------------------------------

Voucher 3

Irish SME’s can receive 75% off national and EU patent fees. Each SME can be reimbursed up to a maximum of EUR 1,500.   A further reimbursement of 50% is available on legal costs for patent application drafting and filing at European level up to a maximum of EUR 2,000.  Please visit the EUIPO website for further information on the fees included:

Further information is available from the EUIPO

---------------------------------------

Voucher 4 

Irish SME’s can receive 75% off community plant variety filing and examination fees.  Each SME can be reimbursed up to a maximum of EUR 1,500.

Enquiries to the IPOI can be made to: SMEFund@IPOI.gov.ie

---------------------------------------

Support for SMEs

There are over 80 different Government supports for Irish start-ups and small businesses. This Online Guide is to help Irish start-ups and small businesses navigate the range of Government supports to see which you could possibly apply.

Enterprise Ireland

Enterprise Ireland (EI) provide funding and supports for companies - from entrepreneurs with business propositions for a high potential start-up through to large companies expanding their activities, improving efficiency and growing international sales. EI also provide funding and supports for college based researchers to assist in the development, protection and transfer of technologies into industry via licensing or spin-out companies.

Learn more about our research and innovation supports for businesses and researchers in Higher Education Institutes:https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/research-innovation/

IP Strategy Offer

The Intellectual Property Strategy Offer supports companies to adopt a strategy to manage and exploit their IP resulting from research, development & innovation.  It applies to all forms of IP including patents, trade marks, designs, trade secrets and copyright.  Further information is available at Intellectual Property Strategy Offer - Enterprise Ireland (enterprise-ireland.com).

E-Learning for SME’s

This online tool, hosted by European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), will automatically guide you to relevant information and best suitable options for potential IP protection. The e-Learning tool is divided into two main sections:

1st - "Why is Intellectual Property important": here you can find information about Intellectual Property throughout the different stages of production.

2nd - "What and How to protect": here you can find information targeted towards Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), covering the different types of Intellectual Property rights.

Knowledge Transfer Ireland

Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI) enables companies to innovate their business by signposting to novel technology and research expertise in Ireland and by providing best practice guidance to simplify the process of accessing this rich source of opportunity.

KTI Practical Guides
R&D Funding Tool

KTI’s R&D Funding Tool helps you to find the right support or incentives available to you when engaging with public research in Ireland.

European IPR Helpdesk

Historically, the sources of strength of a business were its tangible assets such as land, buildings, machinery and equipment. Today, however, more and more businesses rely for their competitive strength on their intangible assets, especially on trademarks, inventions, trade secrets, copyright, designs, and the like. An IP Audit provides a company with a way to systematically review its intellectual property assets to make the most of them and can be of considerable benefit in assessing and managing risk, remedy problems and implement best practices in IP asset management.

Fact sheet about the benefits of an IP Audit.

Since the scope of the business plan is to describe not only the business logic behind the commercialisation plans, but also the assets and resources that will make the business successful, the definition of a strong intellectual property (IP) protection and management policy and the business planning exercise are strongly interconnected”. IP should always be considered when drafting a business strategy and business plan

Enterprise Europe Network (Ireland)

Enterprise Europe Network (Ireland) helps Irish businesses innovate and grow internationally and can provide access to EU funding assist businesses in making international connections and provides full-cycle business innovation support from the stage of business idea conception and planning (phase I) over business plan execution and demonstration (phase II) to commercialisation (phase III).
The Enterprise Europe Network can help you:

Develop your business in new markets
Source or license new technologies
Provide comprehensive innovation support and business advice
Find the right partners for research & development
Understand how to protect your intellectual assets
Learn about EU regulation
Have your say in Europe
Access EU funding and finance

The Enterprise Europe Network Ireland services are delivered by a partnership between Enterprise Ireland, Cork Chamber of Commerce, Dublin Chamber of Commerce and the Local Enterprise Office

Knowledge Development Box

The Knowledge Development Box (KDB) was introduced in the Finance Act 2015. It is a tax incentive policy tool to encourage innovation by applying a lower rate of corporation tax on profits on IP Assets resulting from qualifying R&D activities carried out within the meaning of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. The KDB provides for a reduced rate of corporation tax (6.25% down from 12.5%) payable on profits arising from qualifying IP assets which are the result of R&D. The KDB provisions define qualifying intellectual property assets as:

  • an invention protected by a qualifying patent;
  • a computer program /copyrighted software, and
  • inventions of small companies which are patentable but have not been patented and have been kept secret;

A small company is defined as company which has income arising from intellectual property of less than €7,500,000 in a 12 month accounting period, is a member of a group with group turnover of less than €50,000,000 and the company is a micro, small or medium sized company within the meaning of the Annex to Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003.  Intellectual property assets of small companies which are inventions that share features of patents i.e. they are non-obvious, useful and novel, may be eligible for KDB tax relief  The KDB application form and guidance on the application process may be found here.