Imagine building a company from scratch — only to watch your groundbreaking ideas slip away because you couldn’t afford to protect them. That’s the reality many Canadian startups could face if ElevateIP Canada isn’t renewed beyond March 31, 2026.
Launched in 2022 by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), ElevateIP is currently the country’s only national program helping Canadian startups and scaleups create, own, and leverage intellectual property (IP). In just three years, it has become a lifeline for founders in strategic sectors like AI, defence, quantum, and cybersecurity.
In Manitoba and Saskatchewan, ElevateIP is delivered through North Forge — a nonprofit incubator specializing in tech, STEM, and advanced manufacturing startups. Since 2023, the program has supported over 600 startups in our province alone. (Insert internal link to your ElevateIP program page)
The results are striking: 172 new IP applications filed, nearly $2 million invested into Manitoba companies, and nearly half of supported startups coming from equity-seeking groups.
Voices from the Frontlines of Canadian Innovation
For Rob Ranson, founder of Winnipeg-based Win-Shield Devices, ElevateIP has been nothing short of transformative. His company designs advanced protective equipment for military and emergency response teams, and through ElevateIP, his R&D is a strategically protected portfolio of global patents.
“Canada’s ElevateIP program, delivered through North Forge, has had a transformative impact on our IP management and overall business strategy,” Ranson shared in a recent letter to Ottawa. “The program turned our R&D into a defensible, globally filed IP portfolio that supports our commercialization and licensing strategy.”
The University of Manitoba echoes that experience.
“ElevateIP addresses this gap by equipping startups and spinouts with the IP literacy, expert advisory services, and co-investment support needed to transform world-class research into globally relevant companies.”
wrote Dr. Loren Oschipok, Director of Partnerships, Knowledge Mobilization & Innovation.
Why ElevateIP Canada Matters — and What’s at Stake
If ElevateIP ends, Canada risks undoing years of progress. Without renewal, founders will lose access to the very tools that protect them from international competitors and unlock private investment.
This next phase isn’t about starting from scratch — it’s about scaling what already works. That means:
Expanding reach into underserved provinces and rural areas
Targeting priority sectors like AI, cybersecurity, quantum
Deepening collaboration with provincial and federal partners
Done right, ElevateIP will empower thousands more founders to create and commercialize sovereign IP, strengthening Canada’s economy and global standing.
ElevateIP in Manitoba (via North Forge)
North Forge delivers the ElevateIP program across Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Here’s how it works:
Tier 1 – IP Education & Awareness
Open to all startups; delivers training, workshops, IP foundational resources.
Tier 2 – IP Strategy Development
Supports startups to build tailored IP strategy (patent mining, prior art, trademarks).
Tier 3 – IP Implementation
Helps execute the strategy—filing patents, trademarks, licensing agreements.
Eligible startups may access up to $100,000 in services to support their IP journeys.
👉 Note: As of June 30, 2025, applications for Tier 2 & Tier 3 in Manitoba have closed. Tier 1 education & awareness services remain available via the ElevateIP portal.
What to Do Now: Support & Next Steps
This isn’t just a policy discussion in Ottawa — it’s about keeping innovation, jobs, and talent here in Manitoba. One way to show support is by contacting your MP or MLA and letting them know why programs like ElevateIP matter for our province’s economy and future.
For those who want to learn more, North Forge is hosting an upcoming ElevateIP webinar on October 21st, “From Lab to Launch: Turning Breakthroughs into Business,”
where local innovators and researchers will learn how to protect their ideas and build globally competitive companies. Registration is available by visiting the events calendar at northforge.ca.
Canada’s founders are creating the next wave of innovation — programs like ElevateIP help ensure those successes stay Canadian.
