Over 350 Bulgarian companies receive funding for the protection of intellectual property from the Fund for Small and Medium Enterprises

Over 350 Bulgarian companies have been approved by the European Fund for Small and Medium Enterprises, which finances measures for the protection and preservation of intellectual property. Almost half of them are startups, which shows that more and more startups are developing their own innovative solutions that need to be protected. That was announced by the Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry Irina Shtonova during a seminar dedicated to the World Intellectual Property Day (April 26). The event is organized by the Patent Office, together with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

The theme of World Intellectual Property Day this year is "Women and Intellectual Property: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity". On this occasion, Deputy Minister Irina Shtonova emphasized that women are the driving force of more and more key processes and prove their knowledge and competence in various spheres of public life. "Increasingly, in the Golden Book of Inventors, the Patent Office records women's names for their special merits," Deputy Minister Shtonova pointed out.

Shtonova emphasized that the protection and objects of intellectual property have a key impact on the competitiveness and overall development of companies at the macroeconomic level. "I believe that as a result of the hard work of the Patent Office and their proactive role both at the national and European level, the awareness of the protection of intellectual property and its benefits for Bulgarian enterprises will increase more and more," she commented.

Today's forum was attended by the chairman of the appellate panels of the European Union Office for Intellectual Property, João Negrao, the chairman of the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria, Prof. Vladya Borisova, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Georgi Sabev, and others.