As Start-ups file more and more patents, Centre revises SIPP scheme

TICE BUREAU

Aiming to boost the filing of patents and also trademarks by Start-ups, the Narendra Modi government at the Centre has revised its Start-Ups Intellectual Property Protection (SIPP) scheme to upgrade the professional charges of facilitators. 

The number of patents being filed by Start-ups is steadily climbing and has increased from 179 in 2016-17 to 1500 in 2021-22. The number of trade mark applications filed by Startups has also risen from 4 in 2016-17 to 8649 in 2021-22.

To protect and promote Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of Startups and to encourage innovation the Centre had launched SIPP in 2016. 

The scheme facilitated startups in filing and processing of their patent, design or trademark application through the assistance of IP Facilitators, whose fee was borne by the Office of the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. 

The scheme led to a rise in IP fillings by Startups and was extended for a period of three years till 31st March 2023. 

To further encourage the IP facilitators to provide quality services to Startups in order to increase the number of IP Applications filed by startups, the scheme has now been revised and facilitation fees has been notably increased by at least 100 per cent, said an official statement. 

In addition to above scheme, IP filling by startups are also encouraged by providing with fee rebates under respective IP legislations. 

The official release by the Commerce ministry also said that startups are provided 80 per cent fee rebate in filing patent applications and 50 per cent fee rebate in filling trademark application. 

In addition, there are also provisions for fast-track examination of patent applications.

Increase in Filing of Patents

According to government data, patent applications filed by Startups have increased from 179 in 2016-17 to 1500 in 2021-22. 

Trade Mark applications filed by Startups have increased from 4 in 2016-17 to 8649 in 2021-22. From 2016-17 to October 2022, 7430 patent applications and 28749 Trade mark applications have been filed by Startups, the official statement said.

Till end of September 2022, INR 380.81 Lakhs have been disbursed as fees to the facilitators assisting the Startups in IP fillings. The revised fee structure will further augment the filing of IP applications by the Startups through the assistance of IP facilitators offering effective and quality service, it added.

Open Conference

Meanwhile, the ministry also said that to strengthen the Intellectual Property (IP) Ecosystem in the country, the Office of Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks has launched a daily “Open Conference” from 17th October 2022. 

The Open Conference can be joined at https://ipindia.gov.in/newsdetail.htm?835/ 

It is launched with an aim to facilitate the stakeholders by reducing the requirement of visiting the IP Offices. Now, the grievances and queries of the stakeholders are being addressed virtually by the officials of IPO for quicker resolution thereby enabling faster processing of IP applications. 

Based on the stakeholder inputs received during the open conference, the Indian IP Office has implemented the system of “dynamic cause list" for Trade Marks show cause hearings with effect from 1st December 2022 wherein the link for online hearing room will be made accessible on the website itself.