2025 SME Innovation Voucher Patent Support Program
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced the 2025 SME Innovation Voucher Program Support Plan to strengthen the innovation capabilities of SMEs. This business aims to enhance the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises and establish a foundation for sustainable growth. The Innovation Voucher Program provides comprehensive vouchers covering everything from patent (IP)-based technology commercialization, patent application support, marketing, and consulting services.
Next, we will take a detailed look at the 2025 SME Innovation Voucher program policies and also examine patent-related support programs.
Project Overview
Business Purpose
The SME Innovation Voucher program aims to provide tailored support tailored to the characteristics of SMEs by providing comprehensive support such as professional consulting, technical support, marketing, and patent (IP)-based technology commercialization, aiming to strengthen the competitiveness of SMEs through comprehensive support.
Budget Scale
The 2025 budget for the Innovation Voucher project is approximately 61.4 billion won (based on the government's submitted proposal), and this amount may change during the National Assembly's review process. This budget includes support funds for various sectors, including general vouchers, major accident prevention vouchers, carbon-neutral management innovation vouchers, and comeback consulting vouchers.
| Voucher Types | Period |
|---|---|
| General voucher | November 8, 2024 ~ End of July 2025 |
| Major Accident Prevention Voucher | November 8, 2024 ~ End of September 2025 |
| Carbon Neutral Management Innovation Voucher | November 8, 2024 ~ End of September 2025 |
| Jaegi Consulting Voucher | November 8, 2024 ~ End of October 2026 |
Management and Operating Agencies
The management agency for this project is the Korea SMEs and Startups Corporation (KOSME), which operates detailed programs in each field. These organizations recruit and select implementing agencies to provide services.
Voucher Forms and Grants
The Innovation Voucher program issues vouchers to companies that combine government support and corporate contributions. Companies can use these vouchers to select services across various fields. The maximum government subsidy per company is 50 million KRW, and companies pay additional corporate contributions according to the services supported by the voucher. The subsidy rate (government support ratio) is applied differently depending on the average sales volume of the company.
Supported Fields and Details
Technical Support
| Program | Support Details | Support limit |
|---|---|---|
| Prototype Production | Design mockups, sample mold production, precision machining, and product shape realization | Up to 30 million won |
| System and Facility Construction | Production management informatization, technology leakage prevention systems, smart factory construction, production process design, etc. | Up to 20 million won |
| IP-based technology commercialization | Technology transfer consulting and agency, support for acquiring intellectual property rights (including dispute response), product advancement | Up to 15 million KRW |
| Product testing, certification, and research equipment utilization | Support for product performance, safety, and reliability testing and certification, as well as the utilization of research equipment | Up to 15 million KRW |
| Eco-friendly and low-carbon certifications | Support for obtaining certifications such as eco-friendly evaluation standards, environmental management systems, and energy management systems | - (Inside the carbon neutrality voucher) |
| Eco-friendly and low-carbon product testing | Support for product evaluation and testing in eco-friendly, new energy sources, and efficiency improvement | - (Inside the carbon neutrality voucher) |
Consulting Support
| Program | Support Details | Support limit |
|---|---|---|
| Management Technology Strategy | Production management, quality control, technology commercialization strategy, labor, HR, organization, tax, finance, accounting, management strategy, structural improvement, etc. | Up to 15 million KRW |
| AX· DX Promotion Strategy | Smart Factory Diagnostics, AX· Establishing strategies for DX commercialization and advancement | Up to 15 million KRW |
| Major Accident Prevention Consulting | Establishing strategies to prevent major accidents, including risk assessment, process safety management, prevention of worker health hazards, and chemical substance management. | Up to 20 million won |
| Carbon-Neutral Management Innovation | Establishing a low-carbon management system through carbon level diagnosis, process improvement, and setting carbon reduction targets | Up to 50 million won |
Marketing Support
| Program | Support Details | Support limit |
|---|---|---|
| Design Improvements | Product design, packaging design, etc. | Up to 15 million KRW |
| Brand Support | CI·BI development, brand story and slogan creation | Up to 20 million won |
| Promotional material production | Production of corporate and product promotional materials such as brochures, catalogs, promotional videos, and websites | Up to 20 million won |
| Advertising support | Product promotion using online and offline media such as online advertising, broadcasting, newspapers, and outdoor advertising | Up to 20 million won |
Jaegi Consulting Voucher
| Program | Support Details | Support limit |
|---|---|---|
| Career Guidance Consulting | Offering customized prescriptions for companies' future paths | Up to 10 million won |
| Re-startup Support | Strategy Formulation and Support for Restartup Success | Up to 30 million won |
| Business Closure Support | Support for organizing businesses by specialized fields such as legal, labor, and tax | Up to 30 million won |
| Rehabilitation Consulting | Support necessary for rehabilitation procedures, expert consultation, and even rehabilitation approval | Up to 30 million won |
| Pre-rehabilitation consulting | Support for early debt adjustment through pre-arranged autonomous negotiations | Up to 30 million won |
| Personal Rehabilitation Consulting | Advice and support necessary for personal rehabilitation procedures | Up to 2.4 million KRW |
| Workout Consulting | Supporting due diligence and self-rescue plan preparation for workout companies | Up to 30 million won |
Eligibility and Eligibility
General voucher
- Eligible Applicants: Small and medium-sized enterprises primarily engaged in manufacturing with average sales of 12 billion KRW or less over the past three years
- Patent (IP) Support Target: Among all eligible companies, those requiring patent strategy and technology commercialization
Exclusion Criteria
- Companies regulated as unscrupulous business partners by financial institutions
- Companies that have defaulted on national and local taxes
- Companies that have suspended or closed
- Companies that have received this project support three or more times in the past five years, etc.
*For more details, please refer to the announcement.
Support Methods and Benefits
The subsidy rate (government support ratio) is applied differently depending on the average sales size of the company
| Average sales | Government Support Ratio (%) | Corporate Contribution Ratio (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 300 million won or less | 85 | 15 |
| Over 300 million KRW ~ up to 1 billion KRW | 75 | 25 |
| Over 1 billion KRW ~ Up to 5 billion KRW | 65 | 35 |
| Over 5 billion KRW ~ Up to 12 billion KRW | 45 | 55 |
Project Application and Selection Procedures
Application Period and Method
Application Period: November 8, 2024 ~ November 28, 2024
How to apply: Innovation Voucher Platform (www.mssmiv.com) Online application
Required Certificates: Joint certificate in the name of the business operator and joint certificate by the representative's personal certificate
Required Documents
Selection Process
Document Review: Review of Application Requirements and Project Appropriateness
On-site Evaluation: Innovation Capability Diagnosis and On-site Evaluation of Companies
Final selection: Selection of supporting companies based on evaluation results
Detailed Support by Field
General voucher
- Fields of support: Consulting, technical support, marketing
- Number of programs available for application: Up to one program per field, for a total of 3 programs
- Support for Commercialization of Patent-Based (IP)-Based Technology:
- In the fields of consulting and technical support, IP-related programs Available for Application
- Support for patent strategy formulation, intellectual property rights acquisition, and technology transfer
Major Accident Prevention Voucher
- Eligible recipients: Small and medium-sized enterprises primarily engaged in manufacturing
- Required programs: Serious Accident Prevention Consulting (Government Support of 10 million KRW or more)
- Optional Program: You can apply for one program in the technical support field
Carbon Neutral Management Innovation Voucher
- Eligible recipients: Small and medium-sized enterprises primarily engaged in manufacturing
- Required programs: Carbon Neutral Management Innovation Consulting (Government Support of 10 Million KRW or More)
- Optional Program: Multiple programs can be applied for in the technical support field
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. How do I apply?
- A1. Innovation Voucher Platform (www.mssmiv.com) can be applied for online.
Q2. How is average sales calculated?
- A2. In the last three years (
2021,2022, '23) sales are calculated as the average.
Q3. How do I get support related to patent (IP)?
- A3. In the fields of consulting and technical support, IP-based technology commercialization Select a program and apply.
Q4. What happens to VAT when using a voucher?
- A4. Value-added tax is paid separately by the requesting company and must be paid to the executing agency when settling project costs.
Q5. How do I pay the corporate contribution?
- A5. After selection, you can deposit the funds into the virtual account provided at the time of signing the two-party agreement.
Contact Information
| Category | Contact |
|---|---|
| SME Innovation Voucher Program | 1357, 1811-3655 055-751-9847, 9851 |
| Jaegi Consulting Voucher | Career Guidance Consulting: Regional headquarters and branches of the Korea Vacuum Industry Corporation Rehabilitation Consulting: 02-3211-5611 (Seoul Metropolitan Area, Gangwon) 055-751-9624, 9627 (Others) |
| SME Support Platform (Civil Complaint Certificate) | 02-3771-1100 |
| Pine IP Firm | 1522-5142 |
Conclusion
The 2025 SME Innovation Voucher Program places special emphasis on strengthening SMEs' innovation capabilities through the commercialization of patent-based (IP)-based technologies. Through expertise in the patent field and grants, this is a great opportunity to enhance competitiveness in domestic and international markets. Pine IP Firm collaborates with numerous partner firms to actively support the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, providing customized services ranging from consulting to technical support and marketing, tailored to the business conditions of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Our Pine IP Firm is a company selected for the SME Innovation Voucher, and we help strengthen corporate competitiveness through professional services in the patent (IP) field and consulting on the innovation voucher program.
