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Brevetti+, Marchi+ and Disegni+ 2026: application dates announced for access to €32 million in funding

8 October 2026 | Applicable law: EU, Italy | 3 minutes read

The Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy has announced the opening of the 2026 Brevetti+, Marchi+ and Disegni+ funding programmes, aimed at supporting Italian micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in enhancing and protecting their industrial property rights.

The three programmes have a combined budget of €32 million, allocated as follows:

  • €20 million for Brevetti+;
  • €10 million for Disegni+;
  • €2 million for Marchi+.

Applications for funding may be submitted from the following dates:

  • November 25, 2026 for Brevetti+;
  • December 3, 2026 for Marchi+;
  • December 17, 2026 for Disegni+.

Given the limited funding available and the nature of the application procedures, interested businesses should promptly verify that they meet the eligibility requirements and prepare the necessary documentation in advance.

Brevetti+: supporting the commercial exploitation of innovation

The Brevetti+ programme is aimed at micro, small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to commercially exploit their patents through the acquisition of specialist services.

Eligible expenditure includes, in particular:

  • design, engineering and industrialisation;
  • organisation and development;
  • industrial property protection activities.

The programme will be managed by Invitalia on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy.

Disegni+: bringing products to market

The Disegni+ programme supports SMEs based in Italy in enhancing the value of their designs and models through capital grants for the acquisition of specialist external services.

Funding may cover activities relating to the production and commercialisation of a design or model, including: 

  • production of prototypes and moulds;
  • technical consultancy;
  • product or environmental sustainability certifications;
  • business plans and marketing plans;
  • communication material.

The programme will be managed by Unioncamere through its dedicated online platform.

Marchi+: supporting trademark protection abroad

The Marchi+ programme is aimed at micro, small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to protect their trademarks outside Italy.

Eligible expenditure includes specialist services relating to trademark design, filing, clearance searches and legal assistance, as well as the relevant registration fees. The programme is divided into two funding streams:

  • Measure A, covering the registration of EU trademarks with the EUIPO;
  • Measure B, covering the international registration of trademarks through WIPO. 

Under Measure A, the business must have filed the relevant trademark application with the EUIPO on or after 1 June 2023, paid the applicable fees and obtained registration of the trademark before submitting its funding application. A pending EU trademark application is therefore not sufficient.

Under Measure B, the activities specified in the funding programme must have been carried out through WIPO on or after 1 June 2023, with payment of the relevant fees, and the international application must have been published in WIPO’s International Register before the funding application is submitted.

Applications under Marchi+ may be submitted from 12 noon on December 3, 2026.

Who is eligible for funding?

The programmes are aimed at micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. With particular reference to Marchi+, the eligibility requirements include, among others, that the business:

  • has its registered office and operational headquarters in Italy;
  • is duly incorporated, registered with the Italian Companies Register and active;
  • is in full and unrestricted exercise of its rights;
  • is compliant with its social security contribution obligations;
  • owns the trade mark covered by the application;
  • complies with the additional administrative requirements and eligibility conditions established by the funding programme.

Our recommendations 

Interested businesses should:

  1. review their IP portfolios to identify rights and projects that may qualify for funding;
  2. verify the eligibility requirements without delay, paying particular attention to the filing, registration and publication dates of the relevant rights;
  3. collect in advance the corporate, technical and accounting documentation required to submit the application;
  4. verify which costs and specialist services are eligible, as well as the correct invoicing and traceability of the relevant supporting documents;
  5. prepare the application before the funding window opens, to reduce the risk of being unable to access the available funds.

Withers’ Intellectual Property team in Italy is available to assist businesses in assessing their eligibility, identifying the relevant rights and preparing the documentation required under the Brevetti+, Marchi+ and Disegni+ 2026 programmes.

This document (and any information accessed through links in this document) is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Professional legal advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from any action as a result of the contents of this document.

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