Last updated on December 19, 2024
Developing intellectual property (IP) technology products and driving growth is a critical business consideration for emerging and high growth companies.
There are federal and provincial funding programs that help emerging and high growth companies with IP strategy, commercializing IP, and developing emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence solutions.
Osler has expertise supporting clients in accurately completing funding statements of work and doing work under these varied funding programs. Below is a snapshot:
Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON)
IPON is an Ontario government organization that provides businesses with access to expert intellectual property (IP) education and financial supports to maximize the value of their IP, and to promote economic growth in Ontario.
Businesses registered with IPON can receive funding for IP protection and commercialization. IPON will cover up to 80% of eligible costs based on approved scopes of work. Clients contribute at least 20% of the cost and provide a plan to sustain the IP in the future.
We can assist with IP audit, IP strategy, IP market intelligence and landscaping analysis, trademark clearance, search and applications, patent-related work, and drafting original agreements; reviewing and revising agreements. and negotiations.
Elevate IP
Elevate IP is a federally funded, national program to help business accelerators and incubators provide the tools needed by Canadian startups to understand, strategically manage, and leverage their IP.
Elevate IP is administered through registered organizations based on location and offers three tiers of support. Tiers 2 and 3 include developing and implementing IP strategies through service providers like Osler. Businesses can access up to C$100,000 to retain service providers to review IP agreements and contracts with high IP impact, as well as to acquire freedom-to-operate.
We can currently assist businesses in British Columbia, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, the Yukon Territories, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Québec and the Atlantic provinces to assess and develop their IP strategy and IP implementation (includes reviewing and drafting of IP-related agreements).
IP Assist*
IP Assist is a federal government funding program created by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), with a mandate to provide IP advice, connections and funding through three different service offerings.
Small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) can receive funding for all three levels but can retain Osler as an IP service provider for level 2 — Strategy and level 3 — Action. This includes up to a combined C$50,000 to develop an IP strategy and then action on it.
Osler can assist your business in leveraging your IP through IP audits, patent searches, competitor/market landscape searching, and developing an IP action plan.
*IP Assist may be replaced by the incoming AI Assist program.
Innovation Asset Collective (IAC)
The Innovation Asset Collective (IAC) is an independent, membership-based not-for-profit selected by the Canadian government’s Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED). Their mandate is to provide small and medium-sized businesses in any clean-tech sector with, among other initiatives, IP funding grants to pursue a wide variety of IP-protection and IP-leveraging actions.
Registered members may receive up to C$20,000 in awards to support IP protection and leveraging initiatives, including for drafting IP agreements and contracts with high IP impact. Grants are evaluated and awarded year-round.
With an IAC grant, we can assist your business with drafting commercial contracts to support the commercialization of your IP.
AI Assist*
AI Assist is an upcoming federally funded, $100 million program to help small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) scale up and increase productivity by building and deploying new artificial intelligence (AI) solutions.
The new program will be administered by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) and will ultimately replace the winding-down IP Assist program (no date has been given regarding this transition).
As trusted AI industry experts and with the imminent arrival of AI Assist, Osler will be able to further help businesses with awareness, planning and execution to develop AI technologies in Canada.
*AI Assist was announced on October 22, 2024. Details on the program are forthcoming. For more information, visit this link to the ISED’s announcement.
Key Contacts
Partner, Technology, Toronto
Partner, Technology, Toronto
Counsel, EHGC Technology Contracting, Toronto
