SMUPI Licensing Program
Build with the standard.
Licence the system.
SMUPI
is an open modular system for interiors.
Two licence streams:
one for component manufacturers, one for module builders
structured to grow together, globally.
Registered design in over 40 countries
EUIPO · WIPO · Patent Office India · OAPI
IP status note: All registered designs are fully certified except Russia and South Korea, where certification is currently in the final stages of legal completion.
The licence structure
Two streams. One ecosystem.
The SMUPI licensing model separates production from building — by design. No single party can operate on both levels in the same region. Every licence strengthens the whole.
Level 1A
Component Manufacturer
Produce the 5 stainless steel SMUPI components
Corner
Border
Vertex
Edge
Surface
under exclusive worldwide licence. One quality standard for the entire ecosystem.
- Single worldwide manufacturer (hybrid model with certified backup)
- Master tooling owned by SMUPI Foundation — not by the manufacturer
- Entry fee negotiated case by case · 2% royalty on component sale price to L2
- Competitive benchmarking clause protects the ecosystem
- Mandatory supply to all L2 licensees worldwide
Level 1B
Pillow Module Manufacturer
Produce the SMUPI Pillow Module
a 22×22×22 cm latex foam cube with rubber thimbles and 45 through-holes per axis for adjustable softness
One manufacturer per macro-region.
- One manufacturer per macro-region (Europe · Asia · Americas)
- Technical specifications owned by SMUPI Foundation
- Entry fee + 2% royalty on Pillow Module sale price to L2
- Lower entry threshold than metal components
- Cross-regional supply possible on request
Level 2
Module Builder — open to everyone
Purchase components from L1 manufacturers and build any SMUPI product
furniture
shelving
kitchens
luggage
seating
appliance-integrated units
and much more.
Three tiers based on company size, all with the same royalty structure.
Tier A – Large Companies
Turnover > €5M. Entry fee negotiated. 2% royalty on retail price of finished product.
Tier B SMEs & Craftspeople
Small and medium enterprises, artisans. Lower entry fee. Same 2% royalty structure.
Tier C Startups
Innovative startups. Minimal entry threshold. 2% royalty on retail price of finished product.
- Cross-regional sales permitted — prior notification to the Foundation required
- Sectoral Fund automatically compensates local L2 licensees in the destination region
- 3-year contracts, auto-renewable · SMUPI brand usage rights included
Tier D Non Commercial Personal Use
No entry fee – No royalty – No brand usage
How royalties work
Simple. Transparent.
Market-driven.
No fixed prices. No indexation. Royalties follow market prices automatically — so as the ecosystem scales, everyone benefits.
L1A — Metal Components 2% on component selling price to L2 → Inventor (Jacopo Tolja)
L1B — Pillow Module 2% on Pillow Module selling price to L2 → Inventor (Jacopo Tolja)
L2 — Module Builders 2% on retail price of finished product → SMUPI Foundation surplus allocated to social projects
The calculation base differs by level: L1 pays on the industrial component price. L2 pays on the retail price of the finished product — including all added value. This alignment means the Foundation’s social resources grow proportionally with the quality of products in the ecosystem.
The Root Model
Built to last.
Impossible to break.
The SMUPI governance structure — called the Root Model — separates intellectual property from operations, and both from the inventor’s role. Like the roots of a tree: invisible, permanent, nourishing everything that grows above.
Open by design
No exclusive territories for L2 licensees. Any licensee can sell anywhere in the world after notifying the Foundation. The Sectoral Fund automatically compensates local producers in the destination region — no arbitration needed.
Standard forever
The 22 cm pitch standard will never change. Any future component or improvement must be back-compatible with every SMUPI product ever made. Your production investment is protected permanently.
Foundation-owned IP
The SMUPI Foundation (Italy) owns all registered designs and master tooling. No private beneficiaries. The Foundation cannot be dissolved or sold. Its surplus goes entirely to social projects — by statute.
Interoperability guaranteed
Every certified SMUPI product is physically compatible with every other — regardless of manufacturer, country, or application. A cushion made in Japan fits a shelf built in Italy. That promise is the system’s core value.
Beyond furniture
Every licence funds
something bigger.
The Foundation’s surplus — after operating costs — is reinvested in social projects that use SMUPI as a concrete tool: emergency shelters for displaced people, modular furniture for schools in underserved communities, and advocacy for sustainable, circular design.
When you become a SMUPI licensee, your royalty contribution builds both an ecosystem and a legacy.
Ready to be
part of the standard?
To receive the Licensing Model, Governance and Social Mission – Contact us