To evolve with the global economy, Canadian companies, including startups, need to recognize the importance of IP within their business plans. Canadians have strong skills in innovation and development of valuable enterprises—but only by leveraging IP strategically can competitive advantages and international success be achieved.

Whether you're an ambitious entrepreneur, or an established Canadian SME, you can use IP to commercialize your ideas and scale globally. It's vitally important to capture and protect the results of your R&D efforts—ensuring that novel inventions, innovative products, and creative works are shielded from infringement and imitation.

To support companies in Canada, government programs are available to help you maximize the value of IP assets within your business, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.

ElevateIP is a new program from the federal government, which has been designed to provide resources to Canadians through Business Accelerators and Incubators (BAI). With over $90 million at its disposal, ElevateIP can enable you to effectively manage and make the most of your IP assets.

The following BAIs have been selected to provide Canadians with support in education, strategy, and implementation for IP:

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

By integrating intellectual property into their growth strategy, Canadian businesses can establish a strong competitive advantage, foster innovation, and position themselves for long-term success in the dynamic knowledge economy. Consulting with an IP attorney or specialist can help tailor your IP strategies to suit the specific needs and objectives of your business.

At PCK, we are experts at creating value through IP. We begin by selecting the best government program to help fund your IP strategy. Then, we will review your current IP assets and identify the top priorities for next steps.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.