To create awareness about Intellectual Property Rights, the Government of India has started various schemes and awareness programs.

Let’s have a look at these Intellectual Property schemes and their benefits.

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) schemes for Startups and MSMEs by the Indian Government

1. Scheme Name– SIP-EIT (Support International Patent Protection in Electronics and IT)

Who can apply:

• Registered Indian Micro, Small and Medium enterprises.
• In-house R&D Certification by DSIR (Department of Scientific and Industrial Research)
• Any business associated with the manufacture or production of goods and where the investment in plant and machinery does not exceed Rs.10 Cr. For providing or rendering of services, the scheme will be limited to companies where the investment required in plant and machinery does not exceed Rs.5 Cr.
• Technology Incubation companies registered as companies with support under some government scheme

Benefits of this scheme:

• Processing costs for patent including the Attorneys’ Fees, Patent Office filing fees, Examination Fees, Patent Search costs, the cost for entering National Phase up to grant/issue. Finally, after the grant, the cost will be supported by the industry.
• Benefits of up to 50% of the complete patent cost. The support will be in the form of a return of expenses in actual to the applicant.
•  Support will be limited to Rs.15 lakhs or 50% of the total expenses that occurred on filing each invention (whichever is less will be given).

2. Scheme Name– Startup India

Who can apply:

Any business registered in India, which is less than 5 years old. Annual turnover should be less than Rs. 25 Cr in any of the previous financial year and which is “working towards innovation, development, deployment or commercialization of new products, processes or service driven by technology or intellectual property”.

 And is certified by the Startup Promotion Board is eligible to avail all of the benefits under this scheme.

Benefits associating Intellectual Property:

• Patents will be examined fast track and also be granted sooner
• A panel of Facilitators will be available. They will advise on different Intellectual Property Rights (regarding the filing of patent, trademark and design registration and so on).
• Advice on promoting and protection of IPRs in abroad jurisdictions.
• Facilitators will also provide advisory from starting till the stage of final disposal of the IPR application.
• The Government will bear the cost of such Facilitators and Startups only have to pay proper statutory fees and the cost of 

3. Scheme Name– Intellectual Property initiatives to encourage Make In India

• 50 % fee discount has been granted for MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises)
• 10% rebate (refund) on online filing

Some State Schemes:

For Gujarat:

Under Scheme 6 of New Industrial Policy 2015 for MSMEs, up to 75% subsidy. This can be claimed by both individual and legal entities.

For Karnataka: Incentives will be given for patent registration technology upgrade, quality certification under Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) Policy 2013.

‘ESDM’ is an acronym for Electronics System Design and Manufacturing which includes and not be restricted to Electronics Hardware design and manufacturing (which shall include embedded software) for IT, Telecommunications, Defense, Medical, Industrial, Automotive, Consumer Products, applications and components, parts, and accessories required for the aforesaid products and applications.

• The Government(State of Karnataka) shall reimburse up to 50% of the actual costs (including filing fees, attorney fees, search fees, maintenance fees) with a maximum of Rs. 1,00,000 for filing a domestic patent.
• Reimbursement up to Rs. 5,00,000 for filing an international patent.
• 75% reimbursement is payable after the patent is filed and the rest 25% will be given after the patent has been granted. 

For Tamil Nadu:

Who can apply: New & existing manufacturing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises can avail of the benefits of this scheme.

Benefits of this scheme:

50% rebate on the cost of filing Patent Registration application(maximum of Rs. 2 lakhs). 

Other MSME Scheme:

•  One-time financial support to registered Indian MSMEs will be provided, limited up to 25,000 on the grant of domestic patent and Rs. 2 lakh for a foreign patent.
• Enterprises registering under Geographical Indications of Goods Act, one-time financial support will be limited up to Rs.1 lakh.
• The Government of India will provide financial support up to 65 lakh for establishing IP facilitation centers, which will include a one-time grant of Rs.45 lakh and Rs.18 lakh as recurring expenses for 3 years. A sum of Rs. 2 lakhs will be provided as miscellaneous charges.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Registered MSME Units

• MSME organizations – like industry association, societies, cooperatives, firms, trusts, NGOs and other such bodies

• Competent agencies – like consultancy organizations, research institutes, individual experts or agencies having at least experience to conduct pilot studies

• Expert agencies – like Registrar of Trademark, Registrar of Copyright, Indian Patent Office, NRDC, TIFAC, Patent Facilitation Centre, Indian Patent Office, Registrar of Geographical Indication, D.B.T., MoHRD, and other such bodies

• Quasi-Government or Government Aided bodies

• Private units sponsored by MSME

• Industry Associations

For reference, you can also see this.

Government Schemes for Building Awareness on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

• Scheme Name- Conducting awareness/sensitization programs on IPR

Who can apply: MSME organizations and expert agencies

Benefits: Assistance by the Government of India of Rs 1 lakh per awareness program

• Scheme Name: Conducting pilot studies for selected clusters/groups of industries

Who can apply: MSME organizations, competent agencies, and expert agencies

Benefits: Assistance by the Government of India of Rs 2.5 lakh per pilot study.

• Scheme Name: Funding aid in conducting interactive seminars/workshops

Who can apply: MSME organizations and expert agencies

• Scheme Name: Funding support for conducting specialized training on IPR

Who can apply: Expert agencies

• Scheme Name: Funding support in the form of Grant on Patent/GI Registration

Who can apply: MSME units and MSME organizations

• Scheme Name: Funding support for setting up IP Facilitation

Who can apply: MSME units, association, consultancy firms, expert agencies, etc.

Scheme’s benefits change from time to time. So, you can check them directly at MSME.

You can also read our business-related articles and tips for startups to get started.