In an environment in which innovation and creativity are key drivers of competitiveness, intellectual property (IP) plays a strategic role. To help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make the most of their IP, the Institut de la Propriété Intellectuelle Luxembourg G.I.E. (IPIL) supports them through its awareness-raising activities and by guiding them in identifying and engaging with relevant stakeholders and appropriate funding mechanisms.
Patents, trademarks, designs, and author’s rights (copyright), respectively protect the company’s technical innovations, distinctive signs, visual appearance of products, and original works, thereby consolidating its competitive advantage and the value of its intangible assets.
Whether through its awareness-raising activities or its dissemination of best practices, IPIL supports companies in recognising the importance of these key aspects and the need to manage them during the development of their activities.
One of its flagship initiatives is the ‘Boost-IP’: a free-of-charge first-level information and awareness-raising service. This service allows companies, as well as inventors and creators, to benefit from an individual and personalised consultation with IPIL’s experts. It aims to provide the information needed to better understand the different types of IP rights and their principles, and hence the possible protection options in relation to the company’s activity.
Beforehand, beneficiaries can complete a simple online ‘Pre-Diagnostic’ questionnaire to assess their knowledge and define the topics to be covered. A more in-depth IP diagnosis is also available on request. Appointments for ‘Boost-IP’ sessions can be easily arranged by email, with a flexible format, either at IPIL’s premises or via videoconference.
The coaching is not and does not replace a strategic or legal advice but provides a gateway to a better understanding of IP in the business context. At the end of the session, the company will have an overview of the relevant IP tools and will receive referrals to various IP actors, as well as resources tailored to its needs.
One of the most popular resources in recent years is the SME Fund, an initiative of the European Commission implemented and managed by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). In Luxembourg, the initiative is supported by the Intellectual Property Office of the Ministry of the Economy, the IPIL, and the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property.
This grant scheme offers SMEs financial assistance, in the form of vouchers, to protect their IP rights, in particular through the partial reimbursement of registration costs for trademarks, designs, patents or plant varieties. For further information on the SME Fund 2025, you can visit the dedicated EUIPO website page. The SME Fund undergoes periods of availability. It is therefore necessary to regularly check which vouchers are still open.
Through its various actions, IPIL contributes to the creation of an environment that fosters innovation in Luxembourg. By encouraging awareness about the protection of intangible assets, IPIL helps companies assists businesses in converting their innovations and creations into real economic assets.
For more information about IPIL’s services, or to book a ‘Boost-IP’ coaching session, visit the IPIL website here.
