Assisted by Tianjin Intellectual Property Office in implementing the intellectual property strategies, 450 high-tech small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the city have filed their first-ever patent application in the first half of 2011.

As of June, patent applications by high-tech SMEs have accounted for 79.9% of the total amount.

The authority has taken a series of measures to encourage SMEs to behave actively in submitting patent applications by awarding applicants with funds from 2,000 to 4,000 yuan for their first patent application.

Patent agencies providing necessary help to enterprises in the process of acquiring patents would also be awarded.

Enterprises in Binhai New District, Baodi District, Wuqing District and Jinghai County would be offered with 1,000 to 3,000 yuan subsidies by government after they delivered their first patent application.

Currently, the authority has already budgeted over 7 million yuan to support high-tech SMEs in patent applications, accounting for 90% of the total special funds.

The city has achieved great success in helping enterprises to make their breakthrough in terms of patent applications. In 2010, 611 SMEs succeeded in filing their initial patent application; while in the first half of 2011, another 450 SMEs also made it.

Some 800 SMEs in the city are expected to operate as high-tech enterprises by the end of 2011.

As of June, 822 SMEs owning 7,816 patent applications and 4,373 patent grants have been incorporated into the patent pilot project run by local government, in which, 211 were newly identified this year. Those enterprises may get the subsidies of 30 to 600 thousand yuan from government.

(Source:IPR in China)