Open
NRC IRAP Support for Intellectual Property
IP Advisory services for your innovations
Last Update: May 28, 2026
Funding available
Varies by project
Timeline
- Open Date : November 22, 2023
Location
Canada
Overview
Get comprehensive advisory to increase your IP awareness and funding to accelerate the growth of your SME.
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Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Develop a new product or service
- Conduct research and development activities
Eligible Funding
- Varies by project
Timeline
- Open Date : November 22, 2023
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Startups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Building awareness and understanding of intellectual property best practices and strategies.
- Developing a tailored intellectual property strategy with expert guidance, including patent and trademark landscape analysis and competitive research.
- Implementing prioritized intellectual property actions as defined in the IP strategy, such as conducting in-depth IP audits, detailed patent searches, or trademark clearance searches.
- Engaging external IP experts to conduct assessments, develop IP management policies, or perform other preparatory work necessary for future protection or commercialization of innovations.
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Innovative Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
- Startups engaged in technology-driven product, service, or process development
- Growth-oriented companies focused on commercialization of innovative technologies
- Businesses from all Canadian provinces and territories
Who is not eligible
- Large companies with more than 500 full-time employees.
- Non-profit organizations, charities, universities, or research institutes.
- Companies that are not incorporated in Canada (including sole proprietors and foreign businesses).
- Businesses without an innovation focus or those not engaged in technological development or commercialization.
Eligible expenses
- Fees for hiring intellectual property (IP) professionals, including patent agents, IP strategists, and IP lawyers, for advisory and consulting services.
- Costs for conducting patentability searches, prior art reviews, and IP landscape or portfolio analyses.
- Fees for trademark searches and IP competitive intelligence gathering.
- Expenses related to comprehensive IP audits or assessments.
- Preparation of IP strategy documents, reports, and development of IP action plans.
- Costs for external expertise required to implement actions prioritized in the IP strategy, such as commissioning a patent landscape study or trademark clearance report.
- Expenses for drafting IP management policies or conducting preliminary work toward patent or trademark filings (excluding the actual drafting or prosecution of applications).
Eligible geographic areas
- All provinces and territories in Canada
Selection criteria
- Innovative merit and commercial potential of the company’s technology or R&D and the proposed IP plan.
- Alignment of the proposed IP activities with IRAP’s mandate to support SME growth through innovation.
- Feasibility and expected impact of the proposed IP strategy and actions, including the clarity and significance of the anticipated outcomes.
- Qualifications, experience, and commitment of the applicant’s management and technical team to successfully execute the project.
- Overall assessment by IRAP of the company’s technical soundness, financial and managerial capacity, market opportunity, and potential benefits to Canada.
How to apply
1
Contact NRC IRAP
- If you are already an NRC IRAP client, reach out to your industrial technology advisor for information about IP Assist.
- If you are not currently a client, call NRC IRAP toll-free at 1-877-994-4727 to inquire about the program and discuss your eligibility and next steps.
2
Increase IP Awareness
- Utilize NRC IRAP's network of advisors and resources to enhance your understanding of IP practices and how to protect your innovations.
- Engage with partner organizations for further IP knowledge acquisition.
3
Develop IP Strategy
- Work with IP experts provided through IP Assist to craft a strategy that supports your business objectives.
- Prioritize IP actions and gather insights related to your technology, competitors, and the general IP landscape.
4
Execute IP Strategy
Secure funding through IP Assist to implement the prioritized actions from your IP strategy.
Additional information
- Funding through IP Assist is structured in sequential levels; completion of Level 1 is required to access subsequent phases.
- Grant recipients are expected to provide follow-up information or participate in program impact surveys.
- The program complements other funding sources and does not preclude applicants from using tax credits or grants for different project expenses.
Other components of this program
Explore related funding streams and grants that belong to the same program.
- Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) — Advisory ServicesExpert business and technical advice
- Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) — Financial AssistanceFunding support for SME research, development and commercialization
- Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) — Youth Employment Program (YEP)Money to hire a student
- Tourism Industry Recovery Assistance Program (TIRAP)Funding for innovative tourism development in Quebec
Frequently Asked Questions about the NRC IRAP Support for Intellectual Property Program
What is the NRC IRAP Support for Intellectual Property?
Get comprehensive advisory to increase your IP awareness and funding to accelerate the growth of your SME.
Who is eligible for the NRC IRAP Support for Intellectual Property program?
To be eligible for the NRC IRAP Support for Intellectual Property program, you must:
The business must be a small or medium-sized enterprise in Canada.
The company should be innovative in nature and be involved with intellectual property development.
The business must not currently be an NRC IRAP client to directly contact NRC IRAP for more information.
What expenses are eligible under NRC IRAP Support for Intellectual Property?
Building awareness and understanding of intellectual property best practices and strategies.
Developing a tailored intellectual property strategy with expert guidance, including patent and trademark landscape analysis and competitive research.
Implementing prioritized intellectual property actions as defined in the IP strategy, such as conducting in-depth IP audits, detailed patent searches, or trademark clearance searches.
Engaging external IP experts to conduct assessments, develop IP management policies, or perform other preparatory work necessary for future protection or commercialization of innovations.
Who can I contact for more information about the NRC IRAP Support for Intellectual Property?
You can contact National Research Council Canada (NRC).
Where is the NRC IRAP Support for Intellectual Property available?
The NRC IRAP Support for Intellectual Property program is available across Canada.
Is the NRC IRAP Support for Intellectual Property a grant, loan, or tax credit?
NRC IRAP Support for Intellectual Property is a Expert Advice
Who are the financial supporters of the NRC IRAP Support for Intellectual Property?
NRC IRAP Support for Intellectual Property is funded by National Research Council Canada (NRC)