ElevateIP offers support in three Tiers: education and awareness (Tier 1), developing strategies (Tier 2), and implementing strategies (Tier 3). Tier 1 support is accessible to all startups that register a profile successfully on the portal and there is no cost for Tier 1 services. 

For Tier 2 and 3 services, startups will meet with an IP Advisor at Communitech to discuss IP needs and how ElevateIP can help. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to access up to $100,000 CAD worth of services to develop and/or implement an IP strategy. 

Yes. The ElevateIP program is reviewing new applications on an ongoing basis. We encourage you to submit your application at the earliest convenience to facilitate assessment and maximize your chances of securing support and funding.

We will continue to leverage our internal assessment criteria and applications will be reviewed based on their merit relative to others at the time of submission.

There are several eligibility criteria to qualify for support through the ElevateIP program. Most importantly, a participating startup must:

• be a Canadian-Controlled Private Corporation (CCPC)
• have less than 500 employees, and
• have IP owned (or to be owned) by the startup, not an individual.
• be headquartered in ON, MB, SK to work with Communitech and its local delivery partners Invest Ottawa and North Forge
  • Startups headquartered in other jurisdictions may be eligible and would work with other recipients of ElevateIP funding
  • Please also see the question "I am not located in Ontario, can I still participate in ElevateIP?

Please note that funding is not guaranteed and is allocated at the discretion of ElevateIP.

Yes, a startup needs to be a Canadian-Controlled Private Corporation (CCPC) to qualify for support through the ElevateIP program.

No, to be eligible for ElevateIP a startup must be a privately held, for-profit Canadian-Controlled Private Corporation (CCPC).

No, you do not need to be a Communitech member to receive ElevateIP funding and Communitech membership does not offer priority. All startups participating in ElevateIP must agree to Communitech's Terms of Service to proceed with the program.

Any startup located in Canada is eligible to apply for ElevateIP provided all other eligibility criteria are met. Communitech along with our partners, Invest Ottawa and North Forge, will manage ElevateIP for any startup located in Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Please see Innovation Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada’s website for information about other recipients of ElevateIP funding if your startup is based in a different province.

Yes, to qualify for support through ElevateIP your startup must not have more than 500 employees.

Where appropriate and based on regional/local gaps, customized support programs may be accessible to underrepresented groups as well as for specific sectors or technologies.

Yes, you can. You do not need to switch service providers, however, your service provider needs to partner with us in order for you to receive funding through ElevateIP. 

Once they are vetted by the Communitech team, they will go through an onboarding process that solidifies our working relationship with them. This does not come at any cost to them or require a membership with Communitech. 

Accessing resources for Tier 1 (Educational Resources) and Tier 2 (Developing IP Strategies) are free services. However, a co-investment of 10-35% is applicable for support in Tier 3 (Implementing Strategies) based on a variety of factors regarding your startup.

ElevateIP funds will not be disbursed directly to startups. Service providers will directly invoice Communitech and work with our team to receive payment for approved services for startups. 

Support for advisory or professional services is not guaranteed and will be based on the recommendation of Communitech as well as the passing criteria outlined in your application. 

Allocation and disbursement of funds is based on Communitech’s recommendation, which is based on the startup meeting the program criteria as well as the assessment by our internal IP Advisors. The maximum financial support a startup can receive through ElevateIP may not exceed the equivalent of $100,000 CAD, before taxes, in services. The maximum amount is not guaranteed as allocated funds are subject to each startup’s case and the availability of funds.

To be eligible for ElevateIP, the IP (to be) acquired must be owned by the startup and not by individuals. Some exceptions may apply if the startup has an agreement granting exclusive IP rights from the owner of the IP. However, any new IP protection rights sought out through the ElevateIP program should be for IP owned by the startup and not by the individual.

In order to become an approved Canadian service provider on our roster, service providers must have a client who has:

• already applied for the ElevateIP program;
• indicated in their application that they are working with your firm as a service provider; and
• been invited to submit a statement of work by a Communitech team member

If you have a client in this position and you have not yet heard from a Communitech team member, please reach out to elevateip@communitech.ca.

We recommend speaking with your accountant about this process.

Leveraging funds from more than one IP program is possible with proof that the requested services will not be funded multiple times through different programs. For example, you could develop an IP strategy (Tier 2) through IPON or IP Assist and implement the same strategy (Tier 3) through ElevateIP afterward.  Please ensure that you disclose any participation in another IP program during the ElevateIP application process.

A startup can receive the equivalent of $100,000 CAD (before taxes) in services through ElevateIP. This amount can be split: up to $25,000 CAD can be used for Tier 2, and the rest for Tier 3 services. However, if a startup does not use the full $25,000 CAD in Tier 2, the unutilized amount can carry over to Tier 3. This does not work in reverse as Tier 2 spending is capped at $25,000 CAD per startup.

A company may have up to three statements of work (SOWs) over the course of the ElevateIP program. Additional SOWs may be permitted at the discretion of Communitech.

Yes, however, a separate statement of work must be created for each service provider so please note the cap of three statements of work (SOW)s as indicated in the previous question. 

Yes, if more than one service provider is needed to do the work. Please see the two previous questions for further details.

The attestation clause confirms that the work your organization is doing is not being double-funded by more than one accelerator/IP program. It also states that you are only working with one ElevateIP recipient Finally, it confirms the startup owns their IP or is working toward owning their IP.

The program evaluates applications based on several key criteria to ensure a comprehensive assessment. Some of these criteria include:

Tech-Enabled Solutions: We look for ventures that are developing proprietary technology intended to transform their industry/sector in which this technology is their primary source of revenue. These startups are young, innovative businesses with strong growth potential that is of interest to investors.

Revenue Model: We assess the viability and sustainability of the business by examining the revenue model, however, pre-revenue startups are welcome to apply.

Business Age: The age of the business is a factor in our evaluation. While we welcome applications from early-age startups to more established scale-ups, this criterion helps us tailor our support to specific business needs at different stages.

Number of Employees (global full-time): The size of the team is considered to gauge the company's capacity, talent, and potential for scalability. Whether you're a lean startup or a growing enterprise, we aim to support ventures with diverse team structures. Startups with zero global full-time employees may apply.

These are just some of the criteria that collectively contributes to a holistic evaluation process, allowing us to identify promising ventures that align with our program's objectives and offer them meaningful support.