Empowering Europe’s SMEs Through IP #51 – with Inge Buffolo

In this episode of IP Stories, we sit down with Inge Buffolo, Director of Business Development at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), to explore how intellectual property can become a real growth tool for small and medium-sized enterprises across Europe.From her early career as a telecommunications engineer to more than 20 years at EUIPO, Inge shares her journey through innovation, transformation, and public service. We dive deep into the origins and evolution of the SME Fund, the challenges SMEs face when navigating the IP system, and why speaking the language of entrepreneurs is essential to making IP accessible and effective.Inge also reflects on the power of collaboration — with national IP offices, EU institutions, and business networks — and explains how initiatives like Ideas Powered for Business, IP Scan, and IP-backed finance are helping thousands of micro and small companies protect their innovations and grow with confidence.A must-listen for entrepreneurs, policymakers, IP professionals, and anyone interested in strengthening Europe’s innovation ecosystem through smarter, more inclusive IP support.