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Information pages for small and medium-sized enterprises

How to protect your innovations

Intellectual property rights are crucial to effectively protect innovations and trade marks against theft and counterfeiting. Our SME pages offer you information about what you as a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) can do to keep your company’s inventions safe. Moreover, they explain the importance of patents, trade marks, designs, copyrights and trade secrets. Not only do intellectual property rights provide protection and competitive advantages, they also make your company more attractive to potential investors and business opportunities.

5 good reasons for intellectual property
Your advantages with intellectual property

Five good reasons why your company should start thinking about its intellectual property.

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Intellectual property in a nutshell
How can I protect my ideas? (in German)

Useful inventions, great designs or catchy trade mark names can have a very high economic value. All the more reason to protect your intellectual property against unwanted imitations! But what kind of intellectual property rights are there?

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First steps
Strategies for intellectual property

Getting started is often the hardest part – which is why we have gathered some tips to help you save time and avoid unnecessary work regarding the protection of your intellectual property.

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Enforcing IP rights
How to prosecute and sanction infringements

Intellectual property rights only work when you actually prosecute infringements. Find out which possibilities you have. Includes case studies and practical tips.

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Find out more
Information from the DPMA

You want to learn more about IP rights? The DPMA and its cooperation partners are happy to support you and offer informational material, search rooms, initial consultations, trainings and funding opportunities.

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SME-Fonds
Funding program 2025

This year, the European Commission will once again provide funding for small and medium-sized enterprises to make it easier for them to apply for industrial property rights. You can find more information on the SME Fund here.

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Numbers, facts, trends
News for SMEs

Last but not least: In this section you’ll find the most recent studies and new developments regarding SMEs and intellectual property.

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Bild 1: iStock.com/skynesher, weitere Bilder: DPMA

Last updated: 20 October 2025