A start-up that owns a patent is at least three times more likely to succeed than others (Forbes, 2018).
A patent is a way of protecting an invention by giving its owner the right to forbid others from reproducing the invention. If you don’t protect your invention, you leave it open to competitors.
Patents also play an important role in fund-raising and are indicators of a project’s credibility, which are analyzed by investors.
The question of patenting must therefore be raised quickly during the development of an innovative company.
However, a young start-up or SME does not always have the financial resources to engage in industrial property (IP) procedures.
In order to give a welcome boost, the French patent office (INPI) has set up the Pass PI, which enables the financing of part of the costs necessary to take the first steps in IP.
This subsidy applies to any start-up or SME as defined by the INSEE, subject to validation of the project by an INPI business officer.
In terms of patents, the Pass PI covers at least the following actions: documentary search, patentability study, freedom to operate study and patent filing.
The financing conditions are as follows:
- the patent attorney’s fees are covered at 50% by the INPI within the limit of a service limited to 6000 € (incl. VAT), i.e. a maximum of 3000 € (incl. VAT) of financing by the INPI per service.
- A maximum of 3 Pass PI per company.
- the maximum cumulative amount of aid is limited to 5000 € (incl. VAT) for the 3 Pass PI.
Thus, for the drafting of a patent application, the Pass PI allows for the financing of up to 3000 € (incl. VAT) of the service.
It should be noted that for the filing of a patent application, an additional subsidy must also be requested to the EUIPO under the SME Fund scheme in order to be granted the Pass PI. This funding is complementary to the Pass PI as it allows for a partial reimbursement of the patent application fees, whereas the Pass PI only covers the fees of the patent attorney.
Our LAVOIX experts are at your disposal to inform you about these financing mechanisms.