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Exciting news for UK innovators:

IP funding schemes are back!

22 July
2024

2 mins

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has revealed their plans to reintroduce the UK IP Audit and IP Access funding schemes, now with a slightly updated approach.

These funding schemes are intended to help innovative UK businesses access intellectual property (IP) advice and protect their IP more effectively and affordably.

Interested? Here is what you need to know:

IP Audit

The IP Audit scheme provides £2,250 (inc. VAT) towards an IP audit. You contribute an additional £750. In return, start-ups and innovative SMEs can access a comprehensive, bespoke IP audit. This audit can be an invaluable tool for a business to assess their current IP position and build a robust IP strategy going forward, including cost projections and suggested timelines. Many of our clients have found these audits useful not only for strategic planning, but also to present a solid IP strategy to investors.

IP Access

The IP Access scheme provides a further £2,250 (inc. VAT) towards the cost of IP work relevant to your business, provided you cover at least 50% of the total cost. This funding can be used for various IP-related activities, such as filing a new patent, trade mark, or registered design application, or performing Freedom to Operate (FTO) analysis, amongst other things. This funding can be very helpful to begin actioning the recommendations set out in the IP audit, however under the new scheme it is not essential to have performed an IP audit to access the funding, providing you have instead identified some IP-related actions during discussions with your innovation advisor that are required to implement a written IP strategy.

The IP Access funding is also open to applicants who have received IP Audit funding within the last 12 months and require support to implement its recommendations, or those who received IP Audit funding more than 12 months ago and can explain why there has been a delay in implementing the relevant actions.

To find out more about accessing the IP Audit or IP Access funding, reach out to your local Innovate UK EDGE advisor. If you would like more information about the IP audits or any other IP services we offer at Mathys & Squire, please reach out to a member of our team.

Written by: Jessie Harrison