According to information available on the SME Fund 2026 The Ideas Powered for Business website, Voucher 1 (IP Scan) and Voucher 2 (Trademarks and Designs) are unavailable for new applications as funds have been exhausted due to the high number of applications received. Importantly, Voucher 3 (Patents) and Voucher 4 (Community Plant Varieties) are still open for applications.
It's worth noting that the Ideas Powered for Business SME Fund is a grant program designed to help EU-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) protect their intellectual property rights. The SME Fund is a European Commission initiative implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and will operate from February 2026 to December 2026. Although the program runs almost until the end of the year, the organizer did not guarantee that the funds would be available, as the pool was limited.
Entrepreneurs from the SME sector could apply for funding for the following activities until the funds were exhausted:
- The IP Scan/IP Scan enforcement voucher (up to a maximum amount of EUR 1,080) can be used for IP pre-diagnosis services at a national IP office in an EU Member State offering the service under the initiative,
- The Trademark and Design Voucher (maximum €700) can be used to register trade marks or designs for protection at national, regional, EU or international level.
However, it's important to remember that it's still possible that the EUIPO will decide to add new funds to the Bonus 1 and Bonus 2 pool in the coming months. Therefore, it's worth keeping an eye on the Office's announcements.
Assistance in obtaining funding
In previous editions, Graś i Wspólnicy Law Firm has helped numerous entities obtain funding from the SME Fund for various activities sponsored by this program. Our assistance includes, in particular, determining which activities, from the entrepreneur's perspective, merit funding, as well as preparing the funding application and all necessary documents. Once funding is awarded, the Firm can also submit an application on behalf of the entrepreneur to register the intellectual property rights for which the entrepreneur received funding. At the end of the process, we can also apply for reimbursement of incurred costs on your behalf.
If you are interested, please contact us at the following email address: p.filipek@kglegal.pl.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Legal status as of May 4, 2026.
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