Powering innovation in Canada
OwnershIP by Innovation Factory is your go-to marketplace for intellectual property resources and funding in Canada. We’ve done the heavy lifting and brought together leading legal partners and government agencies, and will help you navigate your way through it all.
About OwnershIP
OwnershIP by Innovation Factory is a dynamic program aimed at Canadian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the goal of bringing together a marketplace of IP tools, resources, and support systems across provincial and federal governments to protect Canadian made IP.
OwnershIP provides experiential workshops, strategic introductions and resources necessary for innovators to better understand and develop their IP strategies. Through the program, participants will be supported to identify the right tools, processes, and best practices to adopt and build a comprehensive long-term intellectual property strategy that is backed by legal professionals.
The OwnershIP program is delivered by Innovation Factory.
About Innovation Factory
Innovation Factory is a business accelerator, dedicated to helping innovative businesses launch, scale, and succeed. We provide start-ups, and scaling companies with advisory services, training, mentorship, and strategic connections to help bring disruptive technologies to market, leverage intellectual property, increase revenues, attract investment and create jobs.
Innovation can happen anywhere. Our goal is to make it work everywhere. We work to elevate key industry sectors including, advanced manufacturing, clean tech, information technology, integrated mobility, life sciences & health care, and social innovations.
Innovation Factory is a Regional Innovation Centre located in Hamilton, Ontario. Funded by the Government of Ontario, Regional Innovation Centres help innovators and entrepreneurs clear commercialization hurdles — accelerating the growth of companies so that they can compete and succeed globally and create high-quality jobs in our province.
Our Program Partners
Smart & Biggar
Smart & Biggar is Canada’s largest intellectual property law firm, specializing in patents, trademarks, and copyright protection across diverse industries. With over 100 professionals in five offices nationwide, the firm provides comprehensive IP services and is a part of the global IPH Group, extending its international reach.
Gowling WLG
Gowling WLG is an international law firm with 1500+ legal professionals and business support teams, worldwide. With a strong foundation in intellectual property law, Gowling WLG has grown to offer a full range of business law and litigation in all of Canada’s key industries.
NRC IRAP: IP Assist
The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) IP Assist program offers comprehensive IP advisory services and funding to enhance the growth of Canadian SMEs. IP Assist aims to increase IP awareness, develop IP strategies, and implement these strategies effectively. It includes three levels:
- Level 1: Awareness, providing access to advisors and resources for understanding IP;
- Level 2: Strategy, offering guidance from IP experts to align IP with business goals; and
- Level 3: Action, offering funding to execute prioritized IP actions.
Intellectual Property Ontario
Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON) is a provincial agency that provides Ontario businesses, entrepreneurs, and researchers with strategic IP advice, legal expertise, and educational resources, tailoring its services to individual client needs. IPON also offers the potential for clients to access up to $35,000 for initial IP funding, and up to $100,000 thousand in future IP funding calls. This includes both free, publicly available support and exclusive client-only services.
ElevateIP
ElevateIP, a national program led by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and funded by the Government of Canada, provides tools and knowledge for startups to understand, protect, strategize, and leverage their IP. The program has a nationwide reach, offering substantial IP support across Canada. It involves collaborations with various partners like Communitech, Invest Ottawa, and North Forge, who then collaborate with entities in their geography to ensure tailored regional support.
Apply to OwnershIP
If you operate an innovative start-up or growing business in Canada, we can help you build your assets and take your business to the next level.
