The Patent Collective Program is a Government of Canada program designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) navigate the patent landscape and make informed decisions about intellectual property (IP) strategies that support growth.
The independent, not-for-profit, membership-based organization Innovation Asset Collective (IAC) administers the Patent Collective Program.
Program updates
The Patent Collective Program is one of the key initiatives of Canada's 2018 Intellectual Property (IP) Strategy.
The Government of Canada selected the IAC as program recipient following an open call for applications.
The program launched in 2020 as a $30 million pilot program.
Budget 2024 announced an additional $14.5 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to ensure that SMEs operating in the clean tech sectors continue to benefit from specialized IP support to grow their business and leverage IP.
More recently, Budget 2025 proposed to provide an additional $22.5 million over three years, starting in 2026-27, to renew support for the Patent Collective.
Program objectives
The Patent Collective helps its member SMEs better leverage IP in their drive to grow to scale. It aims to help Canadian SMEs better understand, manage, and protect IP, and navigate complex patent landscapes and mitigate litigation risks as they scale and commercialize their innovations.
Why this program is important
The program reflects several priority areas of the Government of Canada, including innovation and economic growth, support for SMEs, and strengthening IP protection. Fostering greater IP literacy and providing strategic resources to Canadian businesses contributes to building a resilient and competitive economy founded on innovation. It also supports SMEs to scale up and succeed domestically and globally, equipping them to better defend their inventions and navigate complex patent landscapes.
Program recipient: Innovation Asset Collective
IAC offers a range of IP services aimed at supporting Canadian SMEs in the data-driven cleantech sector. These services collectively help Canadian SMEs protect, manage and maximize the value of their IP while strengthening their market position.
For more information on the IP services