SIPP, or the Scheme for Facilitating Startups Intellectual Property Protection, was introduced to help Indian startups protect patents, trademarks and industrial designs with professional support. It was designed to reduce the practical difficulty of drafting, filing and prosecuting intellectual property applications.
For founders, innovators and MSMEs, SIPP can be valuable. However, government schemes change. The availability of facilitator-fee support, eligibility conditions, statutory rebates and application procedures must always be verified against the latest notification issued by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), and Startup India.
2026 status of the SIPP scheme
The official IP India SIPP page continues to host SIPP scheme documents, modified scheme materials and links to IP facilitators. The latest publicly available implementation term reviewed for this article is understood to have ended on 31 March 2026, and no fresh extension was visible in the official materials reviewed.
This means startups should not automatically assume that government-funded facilitator support is currently available. Before filing, applicants should confirm:
- Whether the SIPP facilitator-fee support is active.
- Whether the startup qualifies under the current rules.
- Whether a current facilitator list applies to the proposed filing.
- Which statutory fees and professional fees must be paid.
- Whether any revised notification has replaced or extended the scheme.
Separate Startup India intellectual property benefits may continue to apply to eligible DPIIT-recognised startups. These have historically included an 80% rebate on patent filing fees and a 50% rebate on trademark filing fees, subject to current rules, entity status and application particulars.
What is SIPP?
SIPP is a government-supported intellectual property facilitation programme intended to help eligible startups file and prosecute:
- Patents for new and inventive technical inventions.
- Trademarks for names, logos, taglines and other brand identifiers.
- Industrial designs for the visual appearance and aesthetic features of products.
When the relevant SIPP support is active, eligible applicants may obtain assistance from government-empanelled facilitators. These facilitators can help with searches, drafting, filing, examination replies, hearings, oppositions and other prosecution steps.
SIPP does not create intellectual property automatically. It also does not guarantee registration, patent grant, examination approval or protection in every country.
Who may be eligible?
SIPP has primarily focused on DPIIT-recognised startups. Depending on the applicable notification, eligible applicants have included Indian startups working towards innovation, development or improvement of products, processes or services, or operating a scalable business model.
The startup may need to satisfy conditions relating to:
- Indian incorporation or registration.
- Legal form, such as a private limited company, Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), partnership firm or other permitted entity.
- Startup age.
- Turnover limits.
- Innovation or scalability.
- Ownership and control.
- Non-reconstruction of an existing business.
- Self-declaration regarding other government-funded IP assistance.
The latest DPIIT recognition criteria must be checked before relying on SIPP. Recognition under Startup India is not the same as automatic approval for every IP benefit.
Some SIPP-related materials have also referred to individual Indian innovators, Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISCs), educational institutions and certain international patent applicants. These categories may have separate conditions and should be verified for the particular filing.
Role of an empanelled IP facilitator
An empanelled facilitator is appointed or recognised under the applicable government framework to assist with IP filings. The role may include:
Patent assistance
A patent facilitator may assist with:
- Patentability and prior-art searches.
- Provisional or complete specification drafting.
- Filing of patent applications.
- Examination requests and related forms.
- Responses to First Examination Reports (FERs).
- Hearing preparation and attendance.
- Opposition or other prosecution matters.
- International filing strategy, where relevant.
Trademark assistance
A trademark facilitator may assist with:
- Preliminary trademark searches.
- Selection of appropriate classes.
- Filing of applications.
- Examination report responses.
- Hearings.
- Opposition proceedings.
- Madrid Protocol or international filing guidance, where applicable.
Design assistance
A design facilitator may assist with:
- Novelty and design searches.
- Preparation of representations and views.
- Classification.
- Filing of design applications.
- Responding to examination objections.
- Opposition and registration-related steps.
If the SIPP fee-support mechanism is active, the government may bear the facilitator’s professional fee according to the notified structure. The applicant may still be responsible for official or statutory fees, drawings, translations, foreign filing expenses, renewal fees and other charges.
SIPP application journey for a startup
The process generally begins with DPIIT recognition and an assessment of the startup’s intellectual property assets.
Step 1: Confirm current eligibility
Review the latest DPIIT recognition certificate, incorporation records, turnover information and innovation details. Confirm whether the specific SIPP support is active on the filing date.
Step 2: Identify the IP assets
Prepare an IP inventory covering:
- New technical inventions.
- Product shapes and visual features.
- Brand names, logos and taglines.
- Software and digital content.
- Confidential know-how and trade secrets.
- Research developed by employees, consultants or co-founders.
Step 3: Protect confidentiality
Do not publicly disclose a patentable invention before taking appropriate filing advice. Product launches, investor decks, exhibitions, social media posts and public demonstrations can affect novelty in some circumstances.
Use confidentiality agreements with employees, vendors, consultants, investors and research partners wherever appropriate.
Step 4: Conduct searches and prepare documents
The facilitator or professional advisor may conduct relevant searches and prepare the filing. The quality of the technical disclosure, claims, drawings, design representations and trademark specifications can materially affect the strength of the application.
Step 5: File and pay applicable official fees
The application is filed with the relevant IP Office form and supporting documents. Any startup rebate or reduced fee category must be claimed correctly. The exact fee depends on the IP right, number of classes, entity category, filing route and forms used.
Step 6: Monitor prosecution
Filing is only the beginning. The applicant must monitor examination reports, objections, hearings, oppositions, deadlines and renewal requirements. Missing a deadline can weaken or terminate the application.
Documents commonly required
The document checklist depends on the IP right and the filing circumstances. Startups may commonly need:
- DPIIT recognition certificate.
- Certificate of incorporation or LLP registration.
- Permanent Account Number (PAN) and entity details.
- Address and authorised signatory information.
- Power of attorney or authorisation documents.
- Inventor and applicant details.
- Patent specifications, drawings and technical disclosure.
- Trademark representation and goods or services description.
- User affidavit or evidence of prior use, where applicable.
- Design representations, views and classification details.
- Assignment deeds from founders, employees or consultants.
- Proof of priority filing, where relevant.
- Self-declarations required under the applicable scheme.
Documents should be reviewed for consistency. Differences in names, ownership, addresses or inventor details can create avoidable objections.
Benefits and limitations
SIPP and related Startup India IP support may help startups:
- Access structured filing assistance.
- Reduce the cost burden of professional IP work when support is active.
- Use notified statutory fee rebates.
- Improve the quality of patent, trademark and design filings.
- Respond to examination objections more effectively.
- Build an IP portfolio suitable for investment and commercialisation.
- Protect valuable assets before licensing, fundraising or market expansion.
However, founders should understand the limitations:
- SIPP does not guarantee acceptance or registration.
- Government support does not replace commercial IP strategy.
- Statutory fees may remain payable.
- Foreign filings, translations and local counsel may involve separate costs.
- A facilitator may not provide every corporate, tax, licensing or commercial service required.
- Scheme eligibility and funding rules can change.
- A registered trademark can still face enforcement challenges.
- A patent application may be refused or narrowed during examination.
- A design registration protects qualifying visual features, not every functional aspect of a product.
Combine SIPP with a broader IP strategy
A startup should not treat patent, trademark and design filings as isolated tasks. A practical IP strategy may include:
- Patent protection for qualifying technical inventions.
- Trademark protection for the startup name, product names and logos.
- Design registration for the visual appearance of products.
- Copyright protection for software code, website content, manuals, artwork and digital assets.
- Trade-secret controls for confidential formulas, processes, algorithms and customer information.
- Founder and employee agreements covering ownership and assignment of IP.
- Vendor and developer contracts with clear ownership clauses.
- International filing planning before entering overseas markets.
- IP licensing and assignment documents for fundraising and commercial partnerships.
- Renewal and enforcement monitoring after registration or grant.
VS IPR & LEGAL ADVISORS LLP provides a one-roof approach to trademark tracking and prosecution, patent filing, design registration, copyright protection and startup legal advisory. The firm can help assess the startup’s IP position, identify filing priorities and coordinate protection with broader corporate and commercial requirements.
Expert guidance from VS IPR & LEGAL ADVISORS LLP
Mr. Sanjay Trivedi
Mr. Vipul Bhatt
Mr. Harsh Mehta
Need help protecting your startup’s innovation?
Government support can reduce barriers, but correct classification, ownership, drafting and deadline management remain essential. Professional legal advice should be based on the startup’s technology, business model, ownership structure, filing history and target markets.
Let’s talk about your IP roadmap. Call us today or leave a message to discuss patent filing, trademark registration, design registration, copyright protection and startup legal advisory.
For official scheme updates, review the IP India SIPP resources and the Startup India intellectual property page. Information in this article is for general awareness and should not be treated as a guarantee of eligibility, fee waiver, approval or filing outcome.
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