SME Fund 2025: Relaunch Vouchers for Patents and Plant Variety Rights

The SME Fund has been instrumental in helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Europe safeguard their intellectual property (IP) and drive innovation, since its launch as a pilot initiative in 2021. Over the past four years, the programme has supported more than 80,000 SMEs, making a significant impact on their ability to protect and leverage their intangible assets. 

The 2025 edition of the SME Fund, launched on 3 February, received an exceptional level of interest. Although applications are still being accepted for IP Scan and trademark or design vouchers, Voucher 3 (for patents) and Voucher 4 (for plant varieties) reached their funding limits within only eight days. On 2 June, these two vouchers reopened, offering SMEs a fresh chance to obtain crucial financial support for their intellectual property strategies.