Innovative Smes: Innovation Susbidies

Within the Legislative Decree No 3/2005 entitled “Investment Compact”, which came into force from January 25 2015, it has been instituted the category of “innovative SMEs” to which are extended some subsidies normally granted for innovative start-ups. Among the conditions of access to the register of innovative SMEs, a Company must be the owner or licensee of at least one IP right (patent, trademark, design-model) referring to an invention in the field of industry or biotechnology, a topography of semiconductor product or a new plant variety, or ownership rights relating to an original computer program registered to the Public Register for special computer programs, provided that such rights are directly relating to the business activity of the Company. Moreover, among the conditions of access to the registry, the Company must present the list of its IP rights. referring to the activity of the Company itself. In addition, the volume of expenditures in research, development and innovation carried out by SMEs must be equal to or more than 3 percent of the greater magnitude of cost and total value of production of innovative SMEs, and, among the items of expenditure are included those Legal for the registration and protection of intellectual property, terms and licenses.