EIC adds targeted Intellectual Property support to its Service Catalogue
- ›The EIC Service Catalogue now lists dedicated Intellectual Property and IP due diligence services for EIC beneficiaries.
- ›New offers include EUIPO-supported IP due diligence experts, a Strata IP workshop for deep tech startups, the European IP Helpdesk helpline, regulatory intelligence by Sandwalk, regional support from ART-ER and assessment and exploitation services from PCI and TU Wien.
- ›Some services are free while others carry fees or are eligible for co-funding via EIC ACCESS+ which can cover up to 50 percent and up to €60,000.
- ›Services are aimed at beneficiaries across EIC Pathfinder, Transition, Accelerator and Seal of Excellence holders and are available through the EIC Community platform.
- ›Practical caveats remain: services vary in scope and cost, providers are external partners, and beneficiaries should still carry out their own Freedom to Operate checks before sharing sensitive details.
EIC expands IP support for beneficiaries
The European Innovation Council has added a focused intellectual property section to its Service Catalogue. The update aggregates IP due diligence expertise and related offerings from several EIC Partners and makes them directly discoverable to EIC-funded projects and Seal of Excellence holders. The aim is to help deep tech startups and research teams navigate the legal, strategic and market aspects of IP while preparing to raise capital or scale internationally.
What was added and who it is for
How the catalogue and programmes fit together
The EIC Service Catalogue is the searchable members area on the EIC Community platform that lists services offered by EIC Partners. The catalogue spans acceleration, access to infrastructure, intellectual property and other categories. The EIC Ecosystem Partnership Programme brings private and public innovation actors into the catalogue so awardees can access niche, sector specific help that goes beyond standard EIC Business Acceleration Services. Many partners offer reduced rates, negotiable fees or equity-based deals.
| Provider | Service | Indicative cost | Targeted EIC instruments | Notes |
| EUIPO | IP due diligence experts list | Varies by provider | Pathfinder, Transition, Accelerator, Seal of Excellence | Access to seasoned legal professionals for IP asset assessments |
| Strata | 2 hour IP workshop | Not specified | Pathfinder, Transition, Accelerator, Seal of Excellence | Focused on using IP to attract capital |
| European IP Helpdesk | Helpline | Free | All EIC beneficiaries | First line, confidential support within three working days |
| Sandwalk Ventures | Regulatory intelligence and roadmap | €6000 reduced package listed | Pathfinder, Transition, Accelerator, Seal of Excellence | Deliverable is a report and checklist for regulatory pathway |
| ART-ER | Regional funding and IP advisory (Emilia Romagna) | Not specified | Pathfinder, Transition, Accelerator, Seal of Excellence (regional) | Targeted regional support to access EU, national and regional resources |
| Podkarpackie Centrum Innowacji (PCI) | Technology innovation assessment | €50 per hour plus external costs | Transition and Accelerator, Seal of Excellence | Patent and literature search, novelty and market horizon analysis |
| TU Wien | Technology exploitation workshop | Not specified | Transition and Accelerator, Seal of Excellence | Covers IP strategy, exploitation pathways and institutional frameworks |
Key IP concepts beneficiaries should know
Practical caveats and what to watch for
The new listings bring useful services closer to innovators, but they are not a panacea. Many offers are delivered by external organisations and vary in scope, depth and price. Some services are on demand and open continuously while others require formal application. Confidentiality is emphasised by helpdesks, but beneficiaries should still avoid disclosing sensitive technical details until non disclosure agreements or appropriate procedures are in place. Costs quoted in the catalogue may exclude database access, travel or outsourced expert fees.
The EIC provides impact figures for its Business Acceleration Services. Examples include a stated 20,000 one on one meetings between awardees and corporates since 2021 and deals and finance totals that signal activity across the ecosystem. Those figures are useful to show scale, but beneficiaries should assess individual opportunities on their own merits and request detailed scopes of work and deliverables before committing.
How to access the services and next steps
EIC beneficiaries and Seal of Excellence holders must log in to the EIC Community platform with EU Login credentials to browse the Service Catalogue and apply. Subscribe to the EIC Service Catalogue Highlights or the EIC BAS newsletter to receive curated updates and application deadlines in your inbox. If you need help selecting a service or applying for co funding, contact the EIC Ecosystem Partnership Programme helpdesk at eicpartnerships-helpdesk@eic-bas.eu.
Practical steps for teams preparing to use IP services include preparing an anonymised technical summary, identifying the specific IP questions you need answered, and collecting project documents such as grant identifiers, prior art you know about, and team ownership records. For regulatory intelligence, be ready to describe the intended use case and target markets. If you plan to seek co funding via EIC ACCESS plus, review the ACCESS plus call conditions and prepare a budget showing the full service cost.
Final note and disclaimer
The Service Catalogue additions broaden the toolkit available to EIC awardees and reflect the EICs effort to link innovators to specialised providers across Europe. Beneficiaries should treat these options as starting points. Always check detailed service descriptions, request written scopes and quotes, and take legal advice for material IP or regulatory risk. The EIC provides access to partners and co funding channels, but the providers listed are separate entities and the European Commission does not guarantee outcomes. The information presented here mirrors the EIC Community announcement and related catalogue entries and is intended to help beneficiaries evaluate and plan next steps.