Title of initiative

Intellectual Property Assistance Scheme (IPAS)

1. General presentation

1.1 Overview

The IPAS Scheme, provided on a national level. by Enterprise Ireland (EI), is a service whereby Irish SMEs can get financial support for their patenting projects. This is an example of a support service operated by a national funding agency which has been chosen for its unique character in Ireland, its high selectivity, its expert staff running the service and its effective collaborative links with patent attorneys.

Although the scheme itself has changed over time, the objective remains to assist SMEs, to protect their intellectual property rights arising from R&D activities by providing advice and financial support.

Staff from the Intellectual Property Unit (IPU) within Enterprise Ireland assesses applications for funding under the IPAS scheme and undertakes the role of an “honest broker” by providing advice to enterprises on information that they may have received from their patent attorney.

The IPAS scheme is focused on patents with funding only being provided for patent protection – IPAS does not provide any financial support for other IPR related services, i.e. initial patent searches or filings. However, funding towards the cost of these activities may be available from Enterprise Ireland. The IPAS scheme thus focuses on the process of development/registration of IPR only and does not cover other phases (prior search, acquisition, utilisation of IPR) of IPR usage and development.

The IPU operates a similar larger-scale scheme named Higher Education Sector Patent Protection Scheme.

1.2 Sector focus

Sector: mainly manufacturing and internationally traded services sector

No specific sector

1.3 Institution (managing initiative)

Intellectual Property Unit (IPU) within the Enterprise Ireland (EI)

2. Detailed Information

2.1 Start date

1970’s

2.2 End date

Ongoing

2.3 Budget

Total annual budget of the IPAS scheme : € 0.3 million (2006)

The HESPPS scheme has a larger budget of € 1.0 million.

The budget for the two schemes is exclusively for financial assistance towards patent protection ( staff salaries/overheads not included).

2.4 Type of initiative

Initial Information & Signposting

Dedicated Information Provision

Dedicated Services

Professional Advice

Training

International Liaison & Actions by Business Organisations

Funding & Evaluation

Public Access & Co-ordination Measures

Other (specify):

2.5 Type of IPR

All IPR

Industrial Property

Inventions :

Patents

Utility Models

Plant Varieties

Topographies of Semiconductor Products

Distinctive Signs :

Trade Marks

Trade Names

Geographical Indications, Designations of Origin

Aesthetic Creations:

Designs (industrial design)

Intellectual Property

Literary, Scientific, Artistic Creations :

Copyright

Neighbouring Rights

Rights in Common Law, Tort, Competition Law etc.

Trade Secrets, Licensing & Confidentiality Agreements

2.6 Stage in Enforcement Process

All Stages

Registration

Business Planning / Strategy

Investigations

Administrative Procedures

Litigation

Other (specify):

3. Evaluation of Initiative

3.1 Overall appraisal

Austrian Institute for SME Research appraisal:

The patent-centricity can be seen as a disadvantage, as there are no other schemes available in Ireland for SMEs to tackle the issue of IP management by utilising the full range of IP protection instruments.

4. Further Information

4.1 Document References

Intellectual Property Assistance Scheme Brochure in MS Word (121kb).

4.2 Web Site

http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/ResearchInnovate/Research+Commercialisation/IP.htm

4.3 Contacts

Intellectual Property Assistance Scheme

Enterprise Ireland Intellectual Property Unit (IPU)

Enterprise IrelandGlasnevin

Dublin 9

Michael Sharp Tel: +353 (0)1 808 2220

4.4 Information Source

Austrian Institute for SME Research - PRO INNO Europe Paper: “Benchmarking National and Regional Support Services for SMEs in the field of Intellectual and Industrial Property”