ElevateIP is an Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada program that provides funding to selected business accelerators and incubators.

The selected business accelerators and incubators, and their associated regions, are:

These business accelerators and incubators provide intellectual property support to Canadian startups by providing resources for developing and implementing intellectual property strategies as well as learning about intellectual property. The programs, broken down by region, follow.

British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut

AccelerateIP uses funding from ElevateIP to support startups based in British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut with learning (stream 1), mentoring (stream 2-1), strategizing (stream 2-2) and implementing (stream 3) intellectual property. AccelerateIP provides participating startups with up to $25,000 of funding for developing an intellectual property strategy and up to $60,000 of funding for implementing intellectual property strategies. Startups must agree to co-invest 25% of costs related to developing an intellectual property strategy and implementing intellectual property strategies. As part of AccelerateIP developing an intellectual property strategy can include conducting an audit of existing or potential intellectual property, searching for relevant patent or trademark resources and/or reviewing existing contracts that have intellectual property related provisions. Participating startups can prepare and file patent, trademark and/or industrial design applications in addition to or instead of drafting intellectual property related agreements to implement intellectual property strategies. Learn more about AccelerateIP here.

Alberta

Alberta based startups can use the ElevateIP Alberta program for support and funding for learning about intellectual property and developing and/or implementing intellectual property strategies. As part of developing an intellectual property strategy participants can get up to $15,000 towards activities like developing strategies for the protection and monetization of intellectual property as well as determining what if any third-party rights exist. As part of implementing intellectual property, ElevateIP Alberta will cover 65% to 90% of costs up to $100,000 for activities like filing and registering intellectual property applications and conducting intellectual property searches (e.g. trademark, patentability). You can learn more about ElevateIP Alberta here.

Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario

Startups based in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario can access ElevateIP funding through Communitech. This program is split into education and awareness (tier 1), developing strategies (tier 2) and implementing strategies (tier 3). For the combination of tiers 2 and 3, participating startups can receive up to $100,000 of funding. To participate in tier 3 startups must meet a co-investment requirement of 10%-35%. The co-investment percentage is based on a variety of factors. You can learn more about ElevateIP in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario here.

Quebec

Quebec based startups can receive intellectual property support through momentumPI. MomentumPI provides opportunities for learning about intellectual property and for developing and implementing intellectual property strategies. MomentumPI provides participating startups up to $9,000 of funding to develop an intellectual property strategy with the expectation that the participating startup will contribute 25% of the total cost. MomentumPI provides participating startups up to $60,000 of funding to implement an intellectual property strategy with the expectation that the participating startup will contribute 30% of the total cost. You can learn more about MomentumPI here.

Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island

Springboard Atlantic Inc has created the Atlantic IP Advantage program that supports startups based in Atlantic Canada. The program provides participants with an opportunity to learn more about intellectual property as well as an opportunity to develop and execute intellectual property strategies. The program provides participants with 90% of costs up to $50,000 to develop an intellectual property strategy and the program provides 90% of costs up to $25,000 to execute an intellectual property strategy. You can learn more about the Atlantic IP Advantage program here.

While there are some variations in the program details between regions, each program provides participating startups with access, support and funding for developing and implementing intellectual property strategies in addition to education opportunities for intellectual property

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.