Alberta’s IP Strategy Isn’t Just Policy—It’s Growth

Across Alberta, more founders are looking for practical ways to protect what they’re building and unlock its value. That’s where intellectual property (IP) comes in—not just as a legal step, but as a strategic tool for growth.

IP helps businesses raise capital, enter new markets, and compete with confidence. It’s not the only factor in success, but it multiplies their odds. A strong IP strategy gives founders leverage to scale—and plays a growing role in business growth across Alberta’s innovation economy.

At Innovation Asset Collective (IAC), part of our mandate is to help founders and innovation ecosystems build the skills and support they need to align IP with business strategy. Over the past few months, we’ve worked closely with ElevateIP Alberta and partners across the province to move this work forward—from early conversations to practical next steps. The aim: to strengthen Alberta’s IP strategy and make it a lever for business growth.

Here’s what we’ve learned, what’s already changing, and where things are headed.

Table of Contents

• Laying an IP Foundation in Alberta
• Practical, Accessible IP Support
• What’s Next for Alberta’s IP Journey
• Why This Work Matters for Alberta’s Growth

Laying an IP Foundation in Alberta: February Roundtable

In February, more than 60 leaders from Alberta’s innovation ecosystem came together in Calgary to explore how IP strategy supports business growth. The group included founders, funders, researchers, legal experts, and policymakers—many of whom are directly involved in IP support for startups across the province.

The challenges were clear: IP filings have declined over the past decade, startups file late or in jurisdictions that don’t align with their goals, and available IP support often comes too late or doesn’t reflect how each business operates.

The session led to some key follow-ups:

1. Funding organizations began integrating IP into their programs—not as a checkbox, but as a business priority.
2. IAC and ElevateIP Alberta expanded outreach across the province, connecting with more founders, support organizations, and policymakers.
3. Economic Development Lethbridge partnered with regional innovation groups to improve access to IP support in rural areas and underrepresented communities.
4. Participants committed to reconvening at Inventures 2025 to keep building momentum around Alberta’s IP strategy.

One idea that gained traction was the Alberta IP Flywheel—an integrated model linking IP education, funding, business strategy, and IP commercialization. Alberta’s research strengths, startup energy, and policy flexibility make it a strong candidate for this kind of coordinated approach.

Full takeaways from the February roundtable are available here.

Practical, Accessible IP Support: April Virtual Roundtable

In April, Economic Development Lethbridge hosted a virtual roundtable to explore how IP support is—or isn’t—reaching rural and equity-deserving entrepreneurs across Alberta.

More than 100 participants joined from across the province. Many were founders who are Indigenous, BIPOC, newcomers, or women. Their message was consistent: Alberta’s intellectual property support system isn’t always built for the paths they’re taking.

One participant summed it up succinctly:

“I don’t need another course. I need someone I trust to help me file my patent.”

Participants described systems that were hard to access, too centralized, or focused on a narrow view of what IP looks like. Many are protecting brand identity, cultural knowledge, or trade secrets—not just patents.

The roundtable surfaced several practical ideas, including:

1. Embedding IP Navigators in local networks to offer tailored, hands-on support.
2. Focusing IP education on real business decisions, not just legal theory.
3. Developing triage tools to help founders assess where they are and what to do next.
4. Tracking outcomes using equity-focused metrics, to make sure support is reaching those who need it.

As one attendee said:

“The system needs to be tailored, not the people.”

This conversation expanded the scope of the work—not just who Alberta’s IP support systems are reaching, but how they can evolve to reflect real-world business needs across different communities.

For the full takeaways from the April Virtual Roundtable, read here.

What’s Next for Alberta’s IP Journey: Inventures 2025

On May 23 at Inventures 2025, IAC and ElevateIP Alberta will lead a senior leadership roundtable focused on the next phase of Alberta’s IP strategy—and how it can more directly support business growth across the province.

This closed-door session will bring together senior decision-makers from Alberta’s innovation ecosystem: government leaders, funders, and economic development partners. The goal is to align IP education and support with the growth outcomes Alberta businesses need most.

The discussion will build on previous roundtables and draw from Powering Productivity Growth: Why Canada Needs a Unified Approach to IP Education, a whitepaper co-authored by IAC, Intellectual Property Ontario, Innovate BC, and New Ventures BC.

Topics on the table include:

1. Strengthening provincial IP capabilities through a shared learning model.
2. Supporting organizations as they integrate IP education into their programs.
3. Defining next steps for scaling practical, business-aligned IP support.

This is part of IAC’s ongoing work to turn Alberta’s IP strategy into a meaningful driver of business performance—not just policy.

Why This Work Matters for Alberta’s Growth

All of this ties back to a larger goal: making intellectual property Alberta’s strength, not its bottleneck.

At IAC, we’re focused on helping Alberta companies build IP capacity in ways that connect directly to their growth. That means working with funders and policymakers, developing useful tools, and making sure systems reflect how founders actually build.

Whether they’re entering new markets, forming partnerships, or protecting their edge—Alberta innovators need IP support that’s practical, timely, and tailored to how business gets done. We’re excited to keep working with partners across the province, as we shape what a smarter, more connected Alberta IP strategy can look like.

To see what a smarter IP strategy means for innovation, read Powering Productivity Growth: Why Canada Needs a Unified Approach to IP Education now.