FY2026 SME Overseas Patent/Trademark Application Support Subsidy (Niigata NICO)

1) Overview: This subsidy is operated by the Niigata Industrial Creation Organization (NICO) to support SMEs in Niigata Prefecture in their overseas expansion through intellectual property. It covers a portion of the costs of filing patents, utility models, designs, trademarks, and defensive (anti-bad-faith) trademarks with foreign patent offices, aiming to promote new market entry and overseas business development. 2) Eligible applicants: SMEs with a business location in Niigata Prefecture, or groups of SMEs (where SMEs make up at least two-thirds of members). Companies controlled by large enterprises (including deemed large enterprises) are excluded. Applicants must have already filed a corresponding base application (patent, utility model, design, trademark, or PCT) with the Japan Patent Office. Individuals not running a business are excluded. SMEs whose taxable income averaged over 1.5 billion yen across the last 3 declared fiscal years are excluded. 3) Eligible expenses: Foreign patent office filing fees, local agent fees, domestic agent (patent attorney) fees, translation costs, foreign remittance fees, and other expenses deemed necessary by NICO. Excluded: Japanese Patent Office domestic filing fees, PCT international filing/search/transmission fees, JPO-stage attorney fees, consumption tax, foreign VAT, and registration fees. Only expenses paid between the grant decision date and the end of February 2027 are covered. For joint applications, the lower of share ratio or cost burden ratio applies. 4) Rate, ceiling, schedule, and application points: Subsidy rate is up to 1/2 of eligible expenses. Maximum per company (or group): 3,000,000 yen. Per application: patents up to 1,500,000 yen; utility model / design / trademark up to 600,000 yen; defensive trademark up to 300,000 yen. Application period: May 11, 2026 (Mon) to June 12, 2026 (Fri) 17:00 (must arrive by). Grant decisions issued early July 2026. Submission by email (kaigai@nico.or.jp) or via jGrants. Companies committing to wage increases or work-life balance initiatives receive bonus points. No work (contracting, ordering, payment) may be undertaken before the grant decision.