A machine soldering parts to a circuit board

We can’t just protect Canadian intellectual property — we need to create value from it

ORIGINAL ARTICLE, thestar.com, Jayson Myers, June 1, 2021

An automatic SMD pick-and place-machine is seen assembling a circuit board at factory. Creating new intellectual property earns much praise, writes Jayson Myers, but we mustn’t forget that the point is to get value out of it.

The Canadian business and tech communities talk a lot these days about the importance of protecting intellectual property (IP), especially through patent rights. For a country with a certified case of IP anxiety — we import too much, we commercialize too little — it’s one more thing to obsess over.

But while we’re worrying about patents, we occasionally forget the big picture: We aren’t in business to protect IP, but to create the most value possible from it.

It seems so obvious when it’s framed that way, but many of us miss the forest for the trees, which is ironic for a country trying to shift from natural resources to a modern knowledge economy. In many ways, IP and talent are Canada’s natural resources of the 21st century. We need to apply them to generate value for Canadians — that’s what drives job creation and economic growth.

To keep reading this article CLICK HERE.

Share this article
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Email
View All Categories

Featured iF Clients

14th Annual LiONS LAIR Pitch Competition and in-person Gala on September 26, 2024 from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. Tickets available on lionslair.ca

Attend the 14th annual LiONS LAIR pitch competition

Since 2011, Innovation Factory’s LiONS LAIR has helped more than 150 startups launch and scale their businesses. This fall, join over 350 entrepreneurs, investors and thought leaders to network over dinner and drinks, celebrate innovation, and watch finalists pitch live to a panel of judges to win cash and in-kind prizes.

When: September 26, 2024 | 5:00pm – 9:00pm 

Where: LiUNA Station – 360 James St. N, Hamilton, Ontario L8L 1H5

Celebrate BIG ideas that make a bigger impact at The Big DiF, Innovation Factory’s annual open house and client showcase. Join 250+ people from the Hamilton-Halton community to celebrate entrepreneurship and innovation.

Join Innovation Factory's Annual Open House - The Big DiF!

Network with 250+ industry professionals, discover emerging solutions from our innovators, and celebrate entrepreneurship within the Hamilton-Halton ecosystem.

May 9, 2024 | 4:00pm – 8:00pm | Hamilton, Ontario