DBJ encourages applications for Patent Grant Fund

The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) is offering up to 70 per cent in co-financing support to innovators as it opens applications for the fourth round of its Patent Grant Fund (PGF).

 

An initiative under the Boosting Innovation, Growth and Entrepreneurship Ecosystems (BIGEE) Programme, the PGF provides financial solutions for innovators engaged in the patenting and commercialisation of their inventions.

 

The competitive grant helps to offset the expenses associated with filing applications for local and international patent protection. It as helps innovators with financing the development of technologies and inventions that can compete in local and international markets.

 

With the PGF, the bank has made increased access to funding for a range of activities that support the patenting and commercialisation journey. These including research and development, patent searches and filing, prototyping, technical and commercialisation consultancy, market development, and capacity building.

 

Christopher Brown, the DBJ’s programme manager for BIGEE, emphasised that the fund ensures that innovative ideas have the opportunity to become commercially viable enterprises.

 

“Innovation has little value if it never reaches the marketplace. Through the Patent Grant Fund, we are helping Jamaican innovators pursue patent protection for their inventions, strengthen their commercial potential and position themselves to attract investment, enter new markets and compete globally. We want innovators to see patents not simply as legal protection, but as strategic business assets that can create long-term value,” he stated.

 

Following the submission of applications, the DBJ assesses innovations based on their commercial viability and potential for market impact. Successful applicants can receive support that extends beyond the patent filing process to include activities that help de-risk innovations and accelerate their journey from concept to commercialisation.

 

The Patent Grant Fund is open to companies incorporated in Jamaica, Jamaican sole traders with valid business registration, Jamaican researchers and inventors, and researchers and inventors from the Jamaican Diaspora. Individuals intending to establish a business in Jamaica within six to twelve months are also eligible to apply.

 

The DBJ encourages Interested applicants to review the eligibility requirements, prepare the necessary supporting documentation, and complete the online Patent Grant application form no later than 25 July 2026.

 

For more information and to apply, visit www.thinkbigee.com/patent-grant-fund/.

 

- JS

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