Valorisation PracticesEuropean IP Helpdesk
Supporting Collaborative Intellectual Property Management
At a Glance
- Free of charge intellectual property support to European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), start-ups, universities, and research organisations
- Helping organisations manage IP and strengthen knowledge valorisation within the European innovation ecosystem
- Offering publications, guidance materials, trainings, and a Helpline for direct IP support
- Key player in the European IP and innovation landscape, fostering strong links with major policy actors and organisations (e.g. European Commission DGs, EPO, EUIPO, EEN, ASTP) to advance strategic IP and knowledge valorisation developments
Strengthening IP Awareness and Strategy Development
SMEs and beneficiaries of EU-funded projects often face significant challenges in effectively managing, disseminating, and valorising intellectual property (IP), primarily due to limited knowledge, experience, and resources. While many organisations recognise the importance of protecting IP, there is frequently a lack of deeper understanding of how intellectual assets can be strategically managed throughout the innovation lifecycle. This includes identifying valuable results, selecting appropriate protection mechanisms, and integrating IP considerations into broader business, research, and commercialisation strategies.
In many cases, limited knowledge refers not only to IP protection, such as patents, trademarks, or copyrights, but also to the strategic use of intellectual assets to create competitive advantage, attract investment, enable partnerships, and facilitate technology transfer. Without adequate guidance and capacity, organisations may miss opportunities to maximise the value of their innovations or to ensure that research results generate tangible societal and economic impact. Strengthening IP awareness and management capabilities is therefore essential to fully unlock the potential of innovation emerging from EU-funded projects.
Practical IP Support: Empowering Effective IP Management
The European IP Helpdesk offers practical support and capacity-building services tailored to the needs of SMEs and beneficiaries of EU-funded projects. Its mission is to raise awareness of intellectual property issues, provide customised guidance on general or specific IP questions, and empower organisations to develop the skills needed to manage intellectual assets effectively in their daily activities.
To achieve this, the team offers a broad range of training opportunities, including online webinars, on-site workshops, and specialised training schemes covering different IP topics and levels of expertise. In addition, its Helpline provides free-of-charge, first-line support on IP issues related to cross-border business activities in Europe and EU-funded research and innovation projects, delivering confidential, tailor-made responses within three business days.
Complementing these services, the IP Resource Library offers a wide selection of practical publications, such as guides, bulletins, fact sheets, case studies and many others. Through collaboration with the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), a network of European IP Helpdesk Ambassadors also provides local support across Europe in local languages.
