Trademark Research and Registration: Secure a €1000 Grant in Just 5 Minutes.

The SME Fund covers up to 75% of the costs for your trademark matters. This article provides you with checklists and guidelines.

It's a fundamental recommendation to entrust trademark research to experienced attorneys, as trademark disputes can quickly generate high costs. For young companies, this can quickly become a threat to their existence.

The only hurdle is the attorney fees incurred by hiring them. However, relief is now available until the end of the year from the European Union, with a possibility for reimbursement for each company.

Important: The application for reimbursement must be made before conducting the research and registration!

So, only commission both once you have received the corresponding confirmation message.

Ready to get started? Here's a brief overview:

The refund is provided through funds from the European Union via the SME portal.

The SME Fund 2024 (Ideas Powered for Business SME Fund), an initiative of the European Commission in cooperation with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing their intellectual property strategies and protecting their rights.

Quick Guide:

1. Create a user account at EU IPO SME Fund.
2. After activation, log in to the SME portal at EU IPO SME Fund 2024 Login.
3. Set up your company profile for which you wish to apply for a refund at EU IPO SME Fund 2024 Company Profile.
4. Start the refund application process at EU IPO SME Fund 2024 Application Form.
5. Wait for the confirmation email and then proceed with everything related to trademark research and registration.

Step by Step

Creating a User Account

To begin, create your user account at https://www.euipo.europa.eu/de/discover-ip/sme-fund. Your account can be activated immediately using your email address.

Please make sure to provide the correct information under "Type of User". If you are a shareholder, individual, please enter your details as "legal or natural person". In all other cases, if you are a representative, select "Representative".

Login to the SME-Portal

Once your user account is set up, you'll gain access to the "SME Fund" portal. Here, you can apply for various services. Below, we'll focus solely on the trademark issue.

https://euipo.europa.eu/sme-fund-2024/user/login?destination=/sme-fund-2024

"SME" stands for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. You can also set the portal to another language if preferred.

Enter Company Details

Before you can proceed with the refund application, you need to create your company profile. Please have both documents ready (proof of tax number allocation and bank statement). Both will be required in the following process.

Now, click on "My SMEs" in the left menu and select "New SME" at the top right. https://euipo.europa.eu/sme-fund-2024/node/add/sme

You can then enter all the required details of your company and upload the documents in just a few minutes.

Once you have successfully entered your company details, you can now create a refund application called "SME Fund Application." Select it from the left menu accordingly.

Apply for a refund for the trademark search and registration.

To apply for a refund for the trademark search and registration, click on "New Application Request" in the left menu and select the previously created company.

Then proceed to fill out the form at the following link: https://euipo.europa.eu/sme-fund-2024/form/application-form

All Done!

Now you just need to confirm 2-3 things, and the refund will be requested. The process will take up to 15 days, so make sure to check your emails regularly during this time.

Once the refund is approved, you can instruct your attorney to initiate the trademark search or register the trademark.