The European Commission launched a free service for SMEs to protect their intellectual property (IP) in order to boost Europe’s innovation capacity.
Horizon IP Scan aims to help manage and valorise IP in research and innovation (R&I) collaboration. The support service builds on a vast network of experienced, local IP experts around Europe. The Horizon IP Scan team assesses intangible assets of SMEs in order to present ways to protect existing IP while collaborating with multiple partners on R&I projects and to assist in shared strategy development for the management and exploitation of new IP that was jointly generated.
The European Commission (EC) initiated this support service because IP management plays a crucial role in the entire lifecycle of R&I projects. Like any other asset, IP needs to be managed by collaborating partners in order to ensure a successful and efficient cooperation. The IP support service addresses the issues around central IP and guides the SMEs in their development for shared strategies throughout the different stages of R&I collaboration projects.
Horizon IP Scan follows a first-come, first-serve approach, where successful applicants are matched with the corresponding local IP expert. Applicants will have a pre-interview in the preparation phase. Afterwards, the main interview will be either online or in-person, following the provision of a report with recommendations. The SMEs will increase their IP knowledge, better understand their existing IP, identify options for protection of intangible assets, and develop a joint IP exploitation and management strategy with their partners. The support service aims to highlight IP conflicts and shows ways to prevent them. Eventually, the Horizon IP Scan wants to leverage SME’s innovation capacity.
The service is available to start-ups and SMEs that will sign a Horizon 2020/Horizon Europe Grant Agreement or already have signed one in the last six months. The Horizon IP Scan Guide for Applicants is downloadable here and the privacy statement can be found here. Applicants can fill in their service request form online.