The European Commissions Directorate-General for Research and Innovation has published a study report on the main results and lessons learnt from the provision of Horizon IP Scan services. The Horizon IP Scan was a pilot operating from November 2020 until November 2023. The service helped European start-ups and SMEs involved in EU-funded collaborative research projects to efficiently develop and implement strategies to valorise intellectual assets generated in collaborative R&I activities. Over 350 SMEs involved in collaborative Horizon 2020/Europe and Eureka projects benefitted from the service offered by a larger team of international IP experts. The service was aligned with the strategic objectives outlined in the EU IP Action Plan, and was fully in line with the Guiding Principles for Knowledge Valorisation.
As a main outcome, the service raised awareness of IP-related issues and identified areas for improvement with respect to the development and management of intellectual assets management strategies. This helped SMEs to gain a clearer picture of their intellectual assets portfolio and associated strategies, and hence enter into the collaborative R&I project with more confidence while understanding the importance of discussing (joint) intellectual assets strategies as early as possible.
The Study Report provides a brief statistical analysis of Horizon IP Scan applicant profiles, and includes insights about challenges, and blocking and enabling factors to run the service in the given format. Moreover, the report highlights motivations of SMEs to apply for the service and provides insights into main IP challenges faced by SMEs when participating in collaborative Horizon 2020/Horizon Europe projects.
Studienbericht: Horizon IP scan - Helping SMEs manage and valorise intellectual property in R&I collaborations