Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON) — IP Support Program
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Ontario Crown agency that helps eligible innovators — SMEs, researchers, and post-secondary spinouts in priority sectors — develop and commercialize their intellectual property. The program subsidizes IP services including strategy development, patent searches, patent and trademark applications, freedom-to-operate analysis, and infringement assessments, and pairs clients with vetted IP service providers. Applicants typically access IPON through partner channels (OCI and Ontario's RIC network). Established under the 2022 Intellectual Property Ontario Act.
Eligibility Requirements
- Small or medium Ontario-based enterprise (generally under 500 employees) operating in one of IPON's priority sectors
- Post-secondary institution, researcher, or institutional spinout developing commercializable IP
- IP being developed is novel, has commercial potential, and is material to the applicant's business model
- Applicant has (or is building) a relationship with an OCI or RIC-network Regional Innovation Centre
- Ontario operating presence and intention to commercialize from Ontario
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Subsidy of eligible IP service costs (service-cost subsidy model; individual cost caps set per client intake)
- Type
- Program
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 80% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing — apply via the IPON application portal; intake is continuous but subject to available capacity
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Everything you need to win IPON
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 6-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 6-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 4-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipCome in through OCI or your nearest RIC rather than cold.
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 6
Eligible Expenses 7
Ineligible Expenses 4
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Applying for IPON? Our Grant Proposal Template ($19) mirrors the section structure Canadian reviewers actually score on. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Low RiskHow IPON Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON) ... | Subsidy of eligible IP service costs | Moderate | In Kind | Ongoing — apply via the... |
| NRC IRAP Clean Technology Program | $100,000–$500,000 | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
| Strategic Response Fund (formerly Str... | Minimum $10 million contribution | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing — continuous... |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Applications accepted... |
| Ocean Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Call-specific — no open... |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about IPON