“For startups, every dollar counts. Without ElevateIP, we might have had to choose between protecting our innovations or investing in product improvements. This program allowed us to do both, which is a huge advantage when you're still building capital.” – Amogha Ravindra, Director, Alchemy

Canadian startups create jobs, strengthen the economy, and support national security. ElevateIP helps these companies protect and grow their ideas at home. Without support, Canadian discoveries are at higher risk of being commercialized abroad, taking revenues and opportunities with them.

Alchemy shows why this matters. Founded in 2013 by University of Waterloo graduates, the company began in automotive, developing windshield protection films under the ExoShield brand. As competition increased, the company pivoted into defence, securing its first Canadian Department of National Defence contract in 2020 and a second in 2022. ElevateIP helped them protect their ideas, build an IP strategy, and compete globally.

IP keeps Canada competitive

Intellectual property (IP) is the foundation of competitiveness in defence and automotive. Without protection, companies lose contracts and markets. When IP ownership leaves Canada, so do jobs and tax revenues.

“Once we got the second defence contract in 2022, we realized we had to start protecting every single thing in defence, because that's going to be the retained value in the future,” said Amogha Ravindra, Director at Alchemy.

Government investment delivers results

ElevateIP is delivered by Communitech in partnership with Invest Ottawa and North Forge. It serves start-ups across Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Over 70 per cent of funds go to IP experts working directly with startups, and less than seven per cent covers administration.

From April 2024 to March 2025, Elevate IP:

  • Reached 1,360 start-ups with IP education

  • Helped 512 companies build IP strategies

  • Supported 293 companies with IP implementation

  • Delivered 1,665 strategy services and 1,089 implementation services

  • Backed 706 patent applications

“The biggest benefit was that there was no upfront cost for us. The money went directly from Elevate to our IP firm, which was great for cash flow and the size of our business,” Ravindra explained.

IP strategy supports growth

Through ElevateIP, Alchemy gained critical intelligence through a full landscape analysis. This work identified key competitors, adjacent technologies, and geographic priorities for patent filings. These insights shaped their defence technology roadmap.

“It forces you to evaluate priorities and understand where to put more time and resources. The way ElevateIP structured their analysis helped us see potential overlaps and areas to monitor in our industry,” Ravindra noted.

“For startups, every dollar counts. Without ElevateIP, we might have had to choose between protecting our innovations or investing in product improvements. This program allowed us to do both, which is a huge advantage when you're still building capital,” said Ravindra.

A foundation policymakers can strengthen

Alchemy now has specialized defence IP expertise. But ElevateIP gave them the starting point they needed to grow and compete globally.

“Elevate IP is a no-brainer if you're a small company that knows IP is important but doesn’t know what to do about it,” said Ravindra. “It's a great starting point, whether you're early in the innovation process or exploring a new business unit.”

National impact

In one year, Elevate IP supported more than 1,300 companies, delivered over 2,700 services, and backed more than 700 patent applications. Each outcome keeps Canadian IP in Canadian hands and supports jobs and growth across the country.

Maintaining and strengthening ElevateIP will protect Canadian innovation and ensure its benefits stay here.