When Xavier Toby founded Axe Buildings, he wasn’t chasing trends—he was trying to crack one of the most urgent problems facing Canadians today: the housing affordability crisis.

A mechanical engineer by training, Xavier had spent years working across the U.S., Australia, and Canada in the modular construction space. He had launched factories, led innovation for large builders, and seen every type of prefab project imaginable. Through all of that, one issue stood out.

“Prefab was supposed to be the answer,” Xavier says. “It promised faster, cheaper builds. But while it was faster, the price never made sense. And nobody was solving for that.”

Axe Buildings was born from that tension: the promise of prefab without the payoff. Xavier’s vision was simple but powerful—figure out how to actually reduce costs without compromising quality, and you could build beautiful homes that people could actually afford. The hard part? Engineering a system that could make it possible.

Breaking the box: A smarter, more scalable way to build

Most modular builders rely on a box-based system—three-dimensional units that are stacked onsite like giant LEGO blocks. But Xavier saw the flaw in that design right away.

“Every box has four walls, a floor, and a ceiling,” he explains. “But when you stack them side-by-side or on top of each other, you’re duplicating materials. Two walls where there should be one. Two floors. Two ceilings. It adds a huge amount of cost that no one talks about.”

That realization led him to pivot toward panelization—a flatter, two-dimensional approach that eliminated redundant materials and made builds more flexible. But panelization came with its own challenge: services.

“Electrical, plumbing, HVAC—those systems usually run through walls, ceilings, floors. And with panels, you can’t finish everything offsite, because the services run through multiple pieces,” he says.

Xavier and his team spent two years solving that challenge. The breakthrough came in the form of a custom-engineered method for routing services through the panelized system before installation. It meant walls could be pre-finished, panels could ship ready-to-install, and construction could finally become both faster and cheaper—without compromise.

“That’s when we knew we had something worth protecting,” he says. “Because if we could solve for cost, we could solve for affordability. And that’s the heart of our mission.”

Investors wanted more than innovation—they wanted IP

As Axe Buildings gained traction and began raising capital, Xavier found himself fielding the same question over and over again.

“Every investor asked: ‘What patents do you have?’” he says. “At first, I was like, we don’t have patents—we just work hard and build great stuff. But that’s not enough. They wanted to know what made us defensible.”

That question became a turning point. With early support from IRAP, Axe Buildings partnered with patent experts at Smart & Biggar to dig into the prior art and explore whether their innovations could be protected.

The answer? A resounding yes.

“Our method for running services through panels was broadly patentable,” Xavier says. “They told us that kind of opportunity doesn’t come around often in construction.”

In addition to the core technology, Axe also developed a unique system for panel transport and installation—something they’d engineered specifically to reduce risk and speed up deployment on the job site. That, too, had strong potential for protection.

But while the validation was there, the next step—filing the patents—required time, money, and deep IP expertise.

Elevate IP helped turn big ideas into protected innovations

That’s where Elevate IP stepped in. After being referred by their patent lawyer, Xavier applied to the program and was quickly accepted. Through Elevate IP, Axe Buildings secured the support they needed to draft and submit two patents: one for their in-wall services system, and another for their transport and installation method.

The process wasn’t light—but it was manageable thanks to the Elevate team.

“I had no extra time and no extra money,” Xavier says. “But they helped drive the process forward. They worked with our lawyer, helped shape the documentation, and made sure everything got done. Without them, I don’t think it would’ve happened.”

He emphasizes that Elevate didn’t just provide funding—it provided momentum. And in the fast-paced world of startups, that’s often the difference between moving forward and stalling out.

“They made it feel possible,” he says. “They helped protect something I wouldn’t have been able to protect on my own.”

Credibility, confidence, and Canadian-made IP

While the patents were still pending at the time of this case study, Xavier says the impact was immediate. He now leads with IP in conversations with investors, potential partners, and government agencies.

“It’s one of the first things I mention: we’re building something novel, and we’ve protected it with Canadian patents,” he says. “It opens doors. It changes the way people see what we’re building.”

That added credibility helped Axe secure significant funding from FedDev Ontario to establish a new production line—transforming their panel system from a manual, station-based process to a continuous production model. That new system, Xavier notes, may also become the subject of a future patent.

“Protecting IP isn’t just about filing a document,” he says. “It changes how you think about your business. You start to see more clearly what’s defensible, what’s scalable, and what needs to be locked in early.”

Building in Canada, for Canada

From day one, Axe Buildings has been proudly Canadian. All materials are sourced domestically. The team is local. And their mission—making home ownership more accessible—is deeply tied to Canada’s housing challenges.

“Everything about us is Canadian,” Xavier says. “We’re not just building houses—we’re building a company that reflects Canadian values. Sustainability. Accessibility. Innovation. And Elevate IP helped us make sure that innovation stays protected right here.”

Why Elevate IP is a must for startup founders

For Xavier, Elevate IP was more than a grant program—it was a partner in protecting the future of his business.

“It can be overwhelming,” he says. “You’re wearing every hat. You’re pitching. Hiring. Designing. Building. The last thing you have time for is learning how to file a patent. But Elevate IP takes that weight off your shoulders and puts a real plan in place.”

He encourages other founders not to wait.

“If you think you’ve built something special, protect it. And if you’re not sure where to start, Elevate IP is the best first step you can take.”