Original Title:
Notice of the General Office of the Taiyuan Municipal People’s Government on Issuing the Several Support Policies for Promoting Intellectual Property Innovation and Development in Taiyuan (2020–2023)
Several Support Policies of Taiyuan City for Promoting Intellectual Property Innovation and Development
(2020–2023)
These policies are formulated to thoroughly implement the National Intellectual Property Strategy, accelerate the development of Taiyuan as a key city in the National Intellectual Property Operation Service System, enhance the city’s capabilities in intellectual property creation, utilization, management, protection, and services, better leverage the role of intellectual property in incentivizing and protecting innovation, and promote the high-quality development of intellectual property in the city.
I. Enhancing Intellectual Property Creation Capabilities
(1) Encouraging Intellectual Property Output
Patent holders who file applications through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) or directly to foreign countries (regions) and obtain authorization from the patent administration authorities of those countries (regions) shall receive a subsidy of 20,000 yuan per invention patent. If the same invention is authorized by multiple countries (regions), subsidies shall be provided for up to three countries (regions).For invention patents with a term of 10 years or more, starting from the 11th year, patent holders will receive a subsidy equal to 50% of the actual fees paid in the current year for each invention patent.
Patent holders who obtain 200 or more patent grants in a given year, 100 or more but fewer than 200, 50 or more but fewer than 100, or 20 or more invention patent grants shall be awarded one-time bonuses of 200,000 yuan, 100,000 yuan, and 50,000 yuan, respectively.
For newly granted plant variety rights, a reward of 10,000 yuan will be granted per item.
(2) Strengthening Incentives for High-Quality Intellectual Property
For the first patent holder of projects that have won the China Patent Gold, Silver, or Excellence Awards; the China Design Gold, Silver, or Excellence Awards; or the first, second, or third prizes of the Shanxi Provincial Patent Awards, a matching reward equal to the provincial-level award amount will be provided on a 1:1 basis.
(3) Encouraging Key Pre-IPO Enterprises to Conduct Intellectual Property Due Diligence
Through government procurement of services, key pre-IPO enterprises will receive a one-time grant of 100,000 yuan per enterprise for intellectual property services. Upon successful listing, each enterprise will receive an additional 100,000 yuan for intellectual property services.
(4) Encouraging the Implementation of Patent Navigation Demonstration Projects
Among Shanxi Province’s 14 strategic emerging industries, a select group of patent navigation demonstration projects will be supported. County (city, district) governments and industrial park management committees that conduct regional planning (industrial planning) patent navigation will receive a 300,000 yuan reward per project; enterprises and institutions that carry out patent navigation projects in areas such as business operations, R&D activities, and talent management will be granted 200,000 yuan in funding per project on a competitive basis.
(5) Support for Brand Development
Enterprises and institutions newly awarded the “China Well-Known Trademark” (administrative recognition) will receive a one-time reward of 1 million yuan. Organizations newly awarded a China Geographical Indication (collective trademark or certification trademark) will receive a one-time reward of 200,000 yuan. Entities participating in the China International Trademark and Brand Festival or other international exhibitions and expos with their own trademarks and winning awards will each receive a reward of up to 50,000 yuan.Units holding independent copyrights that participate in the China International Copyright Expo will each receive a reward of up to 50,000 yuan.
(6) Support for the Cultivation of Geographical Indication (GI) Advantage Industries
Launch the Geographical Indication Industry Cultivation Project and provide 1 million yuan in funding for projects included in the municipal-level Geographical Indication Application Promotion Project.
II. Enhancing the Efficiency of Intellectual Property Commercialization
(7) Guiding Enterprises and Institutions to Strengthen Intellectual Property Management
Subsidies will be provided on a merit-based basis to entities newly certified under the Intellectual Property Management Standard, with the amount not exceeding 100,000 yuan, subject to the principle that the subsidy shall not exceed the actual certification expenses (excluding certification coaching fees).
For entities selected as national or provincial intellectual property model or demonstration enterprises, as well as national or provincial intellectual property education pilot or demonstration schools for primary and secondary education, a 1:1 matching grant will be provided based on the provincial award amount; universities designated as national intellectual property demonstration universities or selected as national intellectual property pilot universities will receive awards of 500,000 yuan and 300,000 yuan, respectively.
To foster municipal-level intellectual property model and exemplary units, enterprises selected as municipal-level intellectual property model or exemplary enterprises will receive grants of 200,000 yuan and 100,000 yuan, respectively; universities selected as municipal-level intellectual property model or pilot universities will receive grants of 200,000 yuan and 100,000 yuan, respectively; and primary and secondary schools selected as municipal-level intellectual property education model schools will receive a reward of 50,000 yuan.
Support the establishment of copyright demonstration units and demonstration parks (bases). Awards of 500,000 yuan, 300,000 yuan, 200,000 yuan, and 100,000 yuan will be granted to those designated as national-level copyright demonstration parks (bases) and demonstration units, and to those designated as provincial-level copyright demonstration parks (bases) and demonstration units, respectively.
(8) Encouraging Intellectual Property Management Services for Science and Technology Innovation-Oriented Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises
Intellectual property service agencies that excel in providing IP management services to small, medium, and micro enterprises engaged in scientific and technological innovation will be selected on a merit basis to receive a one-time reward of 1,000 yuan per enterprise managed, with a maximum reward of 1 million yuan per agency.
(9) Supporting Patent Commercialization to Boost the Innovative Development of SMEs
Support universities and research institutes in transferring and commercializing patent technologies to SMEs. A subsidy of 10% of the total annual transaction value will be provided to universities and research institutes, with a maximum annual subsidy of 1 million yuan per institution. Priority will be given to the transfer of patent technologies by universities and research institutes to micro and small enterprises and startups significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Institutions or entities that demonstrate outstanding performance in promoting patent commercialization and facilitating the matching of patent technology supply and demand will be selected on a merit basis to receive a reward equivalent to 10% of the annual transaction value, with the total annual reward for any single institution not exceeding 500,000 yuan.
Large state-owned enterprises and universities or research institutes that proactively transfer 30 or more patent technologies to SMEs within one year through innovative methods such as open licensing or “use first, pay later” licensing will be selected on a merit basis to receive a one-time reward of up to 200,000 yuan.
All such transactions must be filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration and notarized.
(10) Implementation of Patent Promotion Funding
Select and support enterprises in promoting and applying patent technologies on a merit-based basis, with each project receiving funding of no more than 200,000 yuan; the annual budget for supporting patent promotion shall not exceed 5 million yuan.
(11) Support for the Development of Industrial Intellectual Property Alliances
Intellectual property alliances established, filed, and operational for at least six months in accordance with the "National Intellectual Property Administration Guidelines for the Establishment of Industrial Intellectual Property Alliances" will receive a one-time grant of 300,000 yuan. Annual evaluations of intellectual property alliances will be conducted; those demonstrating significant achievements and high returns through various intellectual property operations—such as building and managing high-value patent portfolios, promoting the integrated development of intellectual property and standards, and conducting patent navigation—will be awarded 500,000 yuan, with a cumulative award per alliance not exceeding 1 million yuan.
III. Enhancing Intellectual Property Financial Service Capabilities
(12) Establishment of an Intellectual Property Pledge Financing Risk Compensation Fund
The government, in collaboration with banks, insurance companies, guarantee institutions, and appraisal agencies, shall jointly establish an Intellectual Property Pledge Financing Risk Compensation Fund of no less than 30 million yuan; Financial institutions providing intellectual property pledge financing loans using patents, trademarks, or copyrights as collateral shall be granted a risk subsidy equivalent to 2% of the financing amount, with an annual subsidy not exceeding 5 million yuan per institution;For banks and other financial institutions providing intellectual property pledge financing loans to small, medium, and micro enterprises engaged in technological innovation, where the loan amount for a single enterprise is 5 million yuan or less, the financial institution shall be granted a risk compensation not exceeding 80% of the outstanding principal of the loan.
For science and technology innovation-oriented small, medium, and micro enterprises that obtain financing from banks and other financial institutions using intellectual property such as patents, trademarks, and copyrights as collateral, a subsidy of 50% of the total annual costs incurred for loan interest, guarantees, and appraisals will be provided. The total annual subsidy for each enterprise shall not exceed 200,000 yuan, and the subsidy may be received for no more than two consecutive years.
Enterprises that have already received funding under corresponding provincial policies shall not receive duplicate funding.
(13) Encouraging the Development of Intellectual Property Insurance Products
Insurance institutions are encouraged to develop intellectual property insurance products that meet market needs. For various intellectual property insurance businesses conducted by insurance institutions for enterprises and public institutions in Taiyuan, a reward of 30% of the total annual premium will be provided, with the annual reward for a single institution not exceeding 500,000 yuan. Enterprises are encouraged to purchase various types of intellectual property insurance; for insured enterprises, a subsidy of 50% of the actual premium expenditure will be provided, with the total annual premium subsidy for a single enterprise not exceeding 200,000 yuan.
(14) Encouraging Financial Institutions to Innovate Intellectual Property Financing Models
Support financial institutions in collaborating with various intellectual property service providers to jointly develop intellectual property valuation models and tools suitable for different application scenarios, and establish an innovation capability evaluation system for science and technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with intellectual property as a core indicator; support financial institutions in providing pooled credit facilities for intellectual property pledge financing to industrial parks; encourage financial institutions to establish a database of intellectual property asset appraisal agencies and a pool of experts.
(15) Encouraging Intellectual Property Securitization
Issuers of publicly offered asset-backed securities (ABS) products using intellectual property as the underlying asset shall receive a one-time reward equal to 2% of the actual issuance amount, up to a maximum of 5 million yuan.Ten percent of the reward received by the issuer shall be used to reward its senior management and relevant professionals. For enterprises that secure financing through intellectual property securitization products, a subsidy shall be provided at an annual interest rate of 3% of the actual financing amount. The subsidy period for each financing transaction shall not exceed two years; each enterprise may apply for one subsidy per year, with a maximum of 1 million yuan annually.
IV. Enhancing the Development of Intellectual Property Service Industry Clusters
(16) Supporting the Development of Intellectual Property Service Industry Clusters
Support for the development of intellectual property service clusters shall be provided on a case-by-case basis. Various measures, including the procurement of services, project grants and subsidies, and cost subsidies, shall be employed to support the construction of cluster infrastructure. Clusters shall establish mechanisms for the entry and exit of intellectual property service providers to enhance the level of intellectual property management and service within the clusters.
(17) High-Level Development of the Taiyuan Intellectual Property Operation Service Platform
Support for the development of the Taiyuan Intellectual Property Operation Service Platform will be provided on a case-by-case basis, utilizing methods such as equity investment and project grants and subsidies to support platform construction.
(18) Supporting the Development of Industrial Intellectual Property Operation Centers
Support the development of industrial intellectual property operation centers on a case-by-case basis. Through equity investment, project grants and subsidies, and other forms of support, encourage central enterprises, industry leaders, intellectual property service providers, and industrial investment capital to participate in the development of industrial intellectual property operation centers focused on Shanxi Province’s 14 key industries.
V. Enhancing Intellectual Property Service Capabilities
(19) Supporting the Cultivation of Leading Intellectual Property Service Institutions
Patent agencies in this city that handle and obtain authorization for 50 or more but fewer than 100 invention patents, 100 or more but fewer than 200 invention patents, or 200 or more invention patents in a single year will be granted one-time rewards of 50,000 yuan, 100,000 yuan, and 150,000 yuan, respectively.
We will cultivate outstanding local intellectual property service brand agencies. Upon completion of the cultivation period, agencies will undergo a comprehensive evaluation based on indicators such as intellectual property agency performance and service quality. Those ranked at the top will receive a reward of up to 200,000 yuan per agency;Service agencies newly designated as national-level intellectual property service brand cultivation units or recognized as outstanding trademark agencies by the China Trademark Association will receive a 50,000 yuan reward. Agencies receiving both designations will be rewarded only once; no duplicate rewards will be granted. Additionally, agencies newly designated as national-level intellectual property service brand cultivation units will receive an additional 50,000 yuan reward.
(20) Attracting High-End Intellectual Property Service Agencies from Home and Abroad
Actively attract nationally ranked and influential intellectual property service agencies, and encourage high-end domestic and international intellectual property service agencies to establish headquarters or branches in our city. Agencies with annual revenue of 5 million yuan or more will receive a one-time reward of 500,000 yuan.
(21) Encouraging the Development of Intellectual Property Industry Associations and Other Social Organizations
Intellectual property associations (societies) that provide specialized, market-oriented services to market-based innovation entities, offer intellectual property services such as publicity, training, and rights protection assistance to enterprises, and achieve positive results and a significant impact will be awarded a 200,000 yuan grant based on annual evaluation results. Newly established intellectual property associations (societies) that carry out intellectual property-related service activities will receive a one-time subsidy of 100,000 yuan.
(22) Promoting Employment and Talent Recruitment by Intellectual Property Service Agencies
Local patent agencies are encouraged to collaborate with universities to establish intellectual property training bases for college students. Agencies that host 10 or more students simultaneously for training for a period of at least six months will receive a 50,000 yuan subsidy;Support will be provided to intellectual property service agencies for hiring college graduates. Agencies will receive a subsidy of 20,000 yuan per graduate who obtains a patent agent qualification certificate within two years of employment; intellectual property service agencies that recruit practicing patent agents from outside the province who hold advanced degrees (master’s or higher), have extensive experience (five or more years in the field), and sign service contracts exceeding five years will receive a one-time subsidy of 50,000 yuan per person.
Intellectual property practitioners who have obtained a patent agent qualification certificate and have been practicing for more than one year shall be granted a one-time reward of 5,000 yuan; those who have obtained the professional titles of Senior Intellectual Property Specialist (Senior Level), Advanced Intellectual Property Specialist (Associate Senior Level), and Intellectual Property Specialist (Intermediate Level) shall be granted one-time rewards of 5,000 yuan, 3,000 yuan, and 1,000 yuan, respectively.
(23) Strengthen Intellectual Property Education
Support universities in developing intellectual property education. For newly established intellectual property-related second-degree programs, master’s programs, and doctoral programs approved by the Provincial Department of Education and filed with the Ministry of Education, provide rewards of 200,000 yuan, 300,000 yuan, and 500,000 yuan, respectively. For newly established intellectual property majors and intellectual property colleges that begin enrolling students, provide rewards of 1,000,000 yuan and 5,000,000 yuan, respectively;Through government procurement of services, strengthen cooperation with domestic and international intellectual property schools and service agencies to conduct basic intellectual property training, professional training, or pre-examination training for patent agents, thereby cultivating versatile intellectual property service professionals who are proficient in applying national regulations.
(24) Vigorously Promote Intellectual Property Talent Development
For intellectual property service agencies that commission universities and research institutes to conduct continuing education for intellectual property professionals, a subsidy of 2,000 yuan per person per year will be provided to the service agencies, with the total annual subsidy not exceeding 200,000 yuan; support the establishment of the Taiyuan Intellectual Property Expert Database to conduct research on intellectual property policy formulation and strategic planning, organize intellectual property forums, and other activities, offering advice and suggestions for the development of the city’s intellectual property operation service system and building a platform for the exchange of experiences.
(25) Strengthen Publicity for the Development of the Intellectual Property Operation Service System
Through government procurement of services, fully utilize various channels such as newspapers, television, the internet, and new media to strengthen publicity regarding the policies, measures, and achievements of the intellectual property operation service system. Increase promotional efforts for trademark brands, geographical indications, and outstanding copyright works to foster a favorable atmosphere and environment for intellectual property operations.
(26) Strengthen Intellectual Property Protection
For parties involved in non-litigation cases supported by arbitration or administrative rulings, as well as those who have won judicial judgments in intellectual property infringement disputes, financial assistance for rights protection shall be provided based on legal documents such as administrative rulings, arbitration awards, and judicial judgments. This assistance shall cover up to 50% of the actual total expenses—including notarization fees, evidence preservation fees, invalidation application fees, arbitration fees, litigation fees, attorney fees, expert appraisal fees, and search and evaluation fees—as verified, with a maximum of 50,000 yuan.with a maximum of 20,000 yuan for attorney’s fees. The annual subsidy for domestic rights protection cases for the same party shall not exceed 200,000 yuan, and for overseas rights protection cases, it shall not exceed 500,000 yuan.
VI. Other Provisions
The recipients of funding and incentives under this policy are enterprises, public institutions, government agencies, organizations registered within the administrative jurisdiction of our city, and individuals with household registration in Taiyuan. Entities subject to joint disciplinary measures for dishonesty shall not be eligible for funding. Projects that have already received support from local government funds at this level shall not receive duplicate funding.
The scope of funding, application procedures, deadlines, eligibility criteria, detailed standards, and required materials shall be subject to the application notices or guidelines issued by the Taiyuan Intellectual Property Office.
This policy shall take effect upon publication and remain valid for three years. The Taiyuan Intellectual Property Bureau is responsible for its interpretation.
In the event of any inconsistency between previous relevant regulations and this policy, this policy shall prevail.
The term “intellectual property management services” as used in this policy refers to a working model in which enterprises and institutions combine their intellectual property management needs with the specialized services of intellectual property service providers. Under the strict confidentiality of corporate trade secrets, enterprises entrust service providers to manage all or part of their intellectual property-related affairs, thereby receiving a customized package of services. The scope of services includes: information analysis, drafting of patent application documents, patent application process support, system development, patent operations, rights protection, strategic planning, brand promotion and development, and talent training.
