Written by Tom Nagy, IP Consultant, proVisionIP
The perceived costs and process complexities associated with intellectual property (IP) protection are among the primary reasons many small companies hesitate to protect their IP. Fortunately, IP education and protection are at the forefront of our federal and provincial governments’ priorities, and numerous programs and grants are available to support these efforts in both areas. Let’s look at some of the most popular ones.
NRC IRAP IP Assist, administered by the IP Institute of Canada (IPIC) through IRAP, aims to provide IP education and strategy development with a minimal co-payment. This program is a fantastic resource for anyone needing a general idea of what patents may exist in their area of business (known as a patent landscape), what IP-related steps may have been overlooked in getting the company up and going (such as having founders and employees properly assign their IP rights to the company), and what company processes can best protect all pertinent IP. Additionally, this program can help develop a strategic plan around IP protection. The very low co-payment ($0 for Level 1, $500 for Level 2) unlocks approximately $20,000 in value, making this program an attractive option.
Elevate IP, run federally, and its provincial counterpart, IP Ontario (IPON), both strive to cover as much ground as possible. From landscape and prior art searching, through strategy development, to helping to pay for trademark registration and patent filing, these programs are responsible for a significant increase in IP awareness and protection in Ontario-based companies. Co-payment requirements (typically 10-30% of the service cost) and eligibility requirements (small, Canadian-controlled corporations) vary.
These programs have extensive eligibility criteria. Other programs and grants, tailored to specific industries or activities, are also available. One of these, the Innova3on Asset Collec3ve (IAC), is a federally-funded but independently run program to help primarily clean-tech entrepreneurs and small companies with an IP strategy and portfolio management. Another, CanExport SMEs, run by the federal trade commissioner’s office, can help pay for IP protection related to products and services for export.
The 2025 federal budget has extended support for the federal programs (i.e., Elevate IP, IP Assist and IAC) for several years, while IPON is funded for at least two more years. Clearly, IP education and protection are a priority for Canada, especially in these months of change.
IP professionals, patent and trademark agents and lawyers are familiar with these various programs and can help you access these funding streams and resources. When intricacies are involved in the application or work processes, IP professionals can assist with government interactions, allowing you to focus on your business. At proVisionIP, with our depth of experience, we can quickly assess your situation’s fit with any of these programs and provide obligation-free 3Ps about how best to proceed.
As sponsors of Boundless Accelerator, proVisionIP believes in giving the next generation of Canadian entrepreneurs the help they need to succeed. Please Contact Us about our discount for Boundless clients.
About Tom Nagy
Tom began his career at Research In Motion, putting his electrical engineering degree to good use helping to design the hardware and software for many BlackBerry devices over a decade. Tom then moved into intellectual property management at aerial vehicle developer Aeryon Labs, while also starting full-service patent / IP agency proVisionIP with two partners in 2014. As a Boundless Accelerator IP mentor, Tom brings his rich history of IP management and development experience, along with his engineering background and his love for mentorship and teaching, to every interaction.
