The Japan Patent Office (JPO) has announced that, starting in April 2025, design applications filed by startups will be newly eligible for the early examination and early processing system for design registrations. This addition complements the current eligibility categories, which include applications related to commercialization requiring urgent rights acquisition and applications also filed in foreign jurisdictions.
Newly Eligible Category: Applications Filed by Startups
“Applications filed by startups” refer to cases in which all or part of the applicants fall under any of the following categories:
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Sole proprietors who started their business within the past 10 years.
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Small-scale corporations not controlled by large enterprises*, with:
・20 or fewer regular employees (or 5 or fewer if the main business is in commerce or services),
・Incorporated within the last 10 years. -
Corporations with:
・Capital or total investment of 300 million yen or less,
・Incorporated within the last 10 years, and
・Not controlled by large enterprises*.
*A “large enterprise” here refers to a company whose capital or investment exceeds 300 million yen.
To apply for early examination, applicants must submit a Statement of Reasons for Early Examination. No fee is required for this application.
For further details, please refer to the JPO’s official website. *Japanese only
