IP Village: IP resources for your business

Section 1: Build your IP portfolio

Learn about IP

• Free of charge:
  • CIPO - IP awareness and education
• Offering funds:
  • NRC IRAP - IP Assist^{Footnote *}
  • ISED - ElevateIP^{Footnote **}
• Fee for service
  • IP professionals (IPIC, CPATA)

Create your IP strategy

• Offering funds:
  • NRC IRAP - IP Assist^{Footnote *}
  • ISED - ElevateIP^{Footnote **}
  • TCS CanExport^{Footnote *}
• Fee for service
  • IP professionals (IPIC, CPATA)

Apply for IP Rights

• Offering funds:
  • NRC IRAP - IP Assist^{Footnote *}
  • ISED - ElevateIP^{Footnote **}
  • TCS - CanExport^{Footnote *}
• Fee for service
  • CIPO
  • IP professionals (IPIC, CPATA)

Section 2: Leverage your IP portfolio

Enforce your IP rights

• Fee for service
  • IP professionals (IPIC, CPATA)

Commercialize and scale

• Offering funds:
  • NRC IRAP - IP Assist^{Footnote *}
  • TCS - CanExport^{Footnote *}
  • BDC - IPBF^{Footnote *}
• Fee for service:
  • IP professionals (IPIC, CPATA)

Learn more about IP and how it works by browsing through CIPO's online educational material such as fact sheets, roadmaps, guides, e-learning modules and podcasts.

Find an IP advisor who can explain the strategic value of your IP and offer information and guidance as you develop an IP strategy for your business.

Talk to an information officer to learn about the application process and get answers to basic IP questions.

ElevateIP is a 4-year, $90-million program launched in 2022 that helps business accelerators and incubators provide the tools Canadian start-ups need to understand, strategically manage and leverage their IP. This investment provides Canadian start-ups with IP programming in 3 important areas: IP education and awareness, the development of IP strategies and the implementation of IP strategies.

IP awareness: Increasing IP awareness and educational opportunities for start-ups through activities such as workshops, programs, conferences and peer-to-peer learning opportunities, so they have the foundational IP knowledge required to succeed.

IP Assist supports NRC IRAP client firms to more effectively leverage their IP by providing a continuum of targeted IP support services to help them transform innovations into valuable assets, support their commercial goals and gain a sustainable competitive advantage by strategically leveraging their IP across 3 different levels.

IP awareness (Level 1) provides your business with access to a network of advisors, resources and partner organizations, so you can increase your knowledge of IP best practices and better understand how to leverage and safeguard your innovations.

If you're an NRC IRAP client, reach out to your industrial technology advisor for more information about IP Assist. If you're an innovative Canadian company that isn't yet working with NRC IRAP, visit the Support for technology innovation page to learn more about NRC IRAP and IP Assist.

ElevateIP helps business accelerators and incubators provide the tools Canadian start-ups need to understand, strategically manage and leverage their IP.

Developing IP strategies: Providing start-ups with the tools, talent and supports to manage and make the most of their IP assets. An effective IP strategy is the first step in giving start-ups a roadmap to developing and utilizing their IP assets in a strategic manner and setting the stage for longer term success.

To learn more about the IP offerings in your region, connect with the selected organization near you:

• Springboard Atlantic Inc. – supporting start-ups in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island
• Mouvement des accélérateurs d'innovation du Québec (MAIN) – supporting start-ups in Quebec
• Communitech Corporation – supporting start-ups in Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan
• University of Calgary with Innovate Calgary and Economic Development Lethbridge – supporting start-ups in Alberta
• New Ventures BC Society – supporting start-ups in British Columbia, Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories

IP Assist supports NRC IRAP client firms to more effectively leverage their IP by providing a continuum of targeted IP support services.

IP strategy (Level 2): Provides you with access to IP experts who can assist you in developing an IP strategy to support your business goals, help you prioritize IP actions as well as provide you with valuable insight related to your technology, competitors and the IP landscape.

Get financial support to connect with IP professional services from a consultant and/or legal firm. CanExport may cover expenses relating to the development of an international IP strategy, database searching, drafting of formal IP documentation and filing of IP documentation.

ElevateIP helps business accelerators and incubators (BAIs) provide the tools Canadian start-ups need to understand, strategically manage and leverage their IP.

Implementing IP strategies: ElevateIP is helping start-ups to execute their IP strategies by providing financial assistance to BAIs who then provide support to start-ups, through activities including IP landscape analysis and covering some of the costs related to the formal protection of IP.

IP Assist supports NRC IRAP client firms to more effectively leverage their IP by providing a continuum of targeted IP support services.

IP action (Level 3): Provides funding to help your business execute the actions prioritized in your IP strategy.

Are you looking to expand your business into new international markets? You should consider obtaining IP protection in the countries where you plan on doing business, including selling products over the internet, licensing your IP rights to foreign businesses and/or manufacturing products overseas.

Get financial support to connect with potential foreign partners and pursue new business opportunities abroad. CanExport may cover expenses relating to IP protection such as IP advisory or filing costs in foreign markets.

Learn about the BDC's IP-backed financing solution to support the commercialization and expansion of your IP. Under BDC Capital, the $160-million Intellectual Property-Backed Financing Fund (IPBF) is dedicated to help commercialized Canadian companies with strong IP, providing customized, patient capital in the form of debt, quasi-equity and equity. The IPBF use of funds include working capital, expansion of business, acquisition and IP development.

BDC experts deliver funding and guidance to strong, well-managed commercialized companies with sound IP strategies:

• Stable and growing revenues of at least $5 million
• Ownership or license of patents, trademarks, trade secrets, proprietary software, data and copyright
• Ambition and plans to be a global player

NRC IRAP industrial technology advisors offer technical and business advice, referrals and other services to support your innovation project from concept to commercialization. Visit the website to find out if your business is eligible for NRC IRAP support.

If you're an NRC IRAP client, reach out to your industrial technology advisor for more information about IP Assist. If you're an innovative Canadian company that isn't yet working with NRC IRAP, visit the Support for technology innovation page to learn more about NRC IRAP and IP Assist.

Get financial support from CanExport to connect with potential foreign partners and pursue new business opportunities abroad.

• CanExport Innovation: Innovators from Canadian organizations may access up to $75,000 in funding to assist with R&D for a single technology. The program can cover up to 75% of costs to help innovators pursue and sign collaborative R&D agreements with international partners.
• CanExport SMEs: SMEs may access up to $50,000 in funding to assist with international market development activities. The program covers up to 50% of costs for export marketing of your products and services in international markets where you have little or no sales.