IP Assist Program
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Provides free intellectual property awareness sessions, funded IP strategy development (up to $20,000), and funded IP strategy execution (up to $30,000) to Canadian SMEs through NRC IRAP's three-level progressive system. Level 1 connects businesses with qualified IP professionals for one-on-one sessions. Level 2 funds a qualified IP lawyer or agent to develop a comprehensive IP strategy. Level 3 funds execution of prioritized actions from that strategy, including IP audits, landscape analysis, and trademark clearance searches. Does not cover patent or trademark filing/prosecution fees.
Eligibility Requirements
- Canadian SME with 500 or fewer employees
- Incorporated and profit-oriented
- Pursuing growth through development and commercialization of innovative, technology-driven products or services
- Must be an NRC IRAP client or willing to become one through the onboarding process
- Must have identifiable IP assets or genuine need for IP strategy development
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Free (Level 1 advisory) to $50,000 (Levels 2 + 3 combined: $20,000 + $30,000)
- Type
- Program
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 80% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipThe critical gateway is qualifying as an NRC IRAP client — your business must have a genuine technology innovation component, not just a software tool or service business. Call your regional Industrial Technology Advisor (ITA) early in the fiscal year (April-June), not in March when budgets run dry. If you are already an IRAP client for R&D funding, ask your ITA about IP Assist directly — it is faster than cold-calling. Level 2 is the high-value entry point: having a qualified IP lawyer develop your full IP strategy for $20,000 is a significant subsidy on professional fees that run $5,000-$15,000 privately. The program's 2024-25 evaluation found it under-disbursed by 55%, meaning funds are available but awareness is low. Do not skip Level 1 — it is mandatory to progress, but it is also genuinely useful for understanding which IP protections matter for your specific technology.
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Success Profile
Incorporated Canadian tech SME with 10-200 employees actively developing or commercializing technology-driven products or processes. Already has or is building an NRC IRAP ITA relationship. Has identifiable IP assets (patents pending or granted, trade secrets, proprietary software, novel processes) or needs a strategy to protect innovations before licensing or market entry. Sectors: software, medtech, cleantech, advanced manufacturing, agtech, biotech. Companies earlier in their IP journey (pre-strategy) are ideal Level 2 candidates. Companies that completed Level 2 with a defined IP strategy ready to execute are ideal Level 3 candidates.
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Evaluation Criteria
Assessment-based (not purely competitive). IRAP evaluates: innovative merit and commercial potential of the company's technology; alignment of IP activities with IRAP's mandate to support SME growth through innovation; feasibility and expected impact of the proposed IP strategy and actions; qualifications and commitment of the management and technical team; overall assessment of technical soundness, financial and managerial capacity, market opportunity, and potential benefits to Canada.
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 7
Eligible Expenses 8
- Fees for hiring qualified IP professionals (patent agents, IP strategists, IP lawyers)
- Patentability searches and prior art reviews
- IP landscape analyses and competitive intelligence
- Trademark searches and clearance searches
- IP audits and portfolio assessments
- IP strategy document development and action plans
- IP management policy development
- Preliminary work toward patent or trademark filings (but not the filings themselves)
Ineligible Expenses 7
- Actual drafting or prosecution of patent applications
- Trademark application filing and prosecution fees
- Patent or trademark filing fees (government fees)
- Ongoing IP maintenance or renewal fees
- General legal advice not related to IP strategy
- Software or technology development costs
- Salaries of internal employees
Intake Periods
Rolling intake year-round with no application deadlines. However, IRAP operates on a fiscal year budget (April 1 to March 31) — contacting your ITA early in the fiscal year (April-June) is recommended as regional budgets can be exhausted by Q4 (January-March). Budget 2025 renewed the program with $75M for FY 2026-27 to 2028-29.
Deadline Notes
No application deadline. Rolling intake year-round. Contact NRC IRAP before April 1 each fiscal year to align with budget cycles. Program renewed for an additional 3 years with $75M Budget 2025 allocation covering FY 2026-27 to 2028-29. The original program (FY 2021-22 to 2023-24) only disbursed $27M of $60.2M allocated G&Cs, so funds should remain available but fiscal-year budget exhaustion is possible in high-demand regions.
Open Application Portal →Ineligible Organizations
- Non-profit organizations and academic institutions
- Sole proprietors (must be incorporated)
- Companies with more than 500 FTE employees
- Businesses without a genuine technology or innovation component (pure service businesses without proprietary IP)
- Foreign companies not incorporated in Canada
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Low RiskSee which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get. Unlock with Premium →
How IP Assist Program Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IP Assist Program | Free (Level 1 advisory) to $50,000... | Easy | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
| Digital Technology Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Open — Call for... |
| Investissement Québec — Project Finan... | Varies | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
| Export Development Canada (EDC) Finan... | Varies | Easy | Equity | Ongoing |
| Canadian Northern Economic Developmen... | Varies | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
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