Deep Dive: Intellectual Property | ventureLAB

This series provides an in-depth look at different types of intellectual property. As a founder, once you’ve determined what types of Intellectual Property (IP) you need to protect, it’s important to understand the details and requirements of each. A concrete understanding of each type of IP not only allows you to recognize what you may be able to protect, but will also help you to take full advantage of the right. Over the next six weeks, we’ll release articles on the following topics. Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when we release an article.

1. The Four Pillars of Patentability Patents fuel innovation by protecting inventions. However, in order for an invention to be patentable, it must fall within the categories of patentable subject matter. In general, ideas are not patentable; there must be a tangible product for patent protection to apply. In addition to being directed to patentable subject matter, an invention must be novel, non-obvious and useful. This is the first article in the deep dive series and will provide the details of how to satisfy each of these four requirements for patentability.
2. A Beginner’s Guide to Patenting Software and Artificial Intelligence Stay tuned for release by signing up for our newsletter. Patenting software and artificial intelligence can be a tricky topic. This is because abstract theorems and algorithms per se are not considered patentable subject matter. That is not to say that software and algorithms are never patentable.This article will discuss the requirements and challenges associated with obtaining patent protection on your software and artificial intelligence inventions.
3. Use It or Lose It: How to Acquire and Protect your Trademarks Stay tuned for release by signing up for our newsletter. The function of a trademark is to identify the source of the goods or services. Trademarks are intended to act as a shortcut to help consumers identify the brand or company that produced the product. Ultimately trademarks protect the goodwill of the business. In this article we discuss registered and unregistered trademarks, as well as the requirements for each type of mark.
4. Don’t You Forget About Me: Protecting Your Company’s Copyrights Stay tuned for release by signing up for our newsletter. Copyright protection arises without registration. Copyright protects literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works and also protects software. This is a broad category which spans from books and news articles to artwork and computer programs. This article will discuss what products qualify for copyright protection, the scope of protection, and the importance of copyright protection for business owners.
5. The IP Hidden Gems: Trade Secrets and Industrial Designs Stay tuned for release by signing up for our newsletter. This article will discuss the often overlooked trade secret and industrial design protection. A trade secret is just as it sounds: a secret. In some cases you may have an invention that you do not wish to patent or that is simply not patentable, so protecting it as a trade secret can be an excellent alternative. Industrial design, known in the US as a design patent, protects the way a product looks. Here we cover how to qualify for each type of protection and why you should consider these forms of IP as you develop your business.

ventureLAB can help you navigate your IP strategy. Located at the heart of Ontario’s innovation corridor in York Region, ventureLAB is a leading global founder community for hardware technology and enterprise software companies in Canada. Our initiatives focused on raising capital, talent retention, commercializing technology and IP, and customer acquisition have enabled thousands of companies to create over 4,000 jobs and raise more than $200 million in investment capital. Join us.

About the Author

Maddie Lynch is an IP Intern from Osgoode Hall Law School where her studies focus on intellectual property. At Osgoode Maddie is part of the IP Osgoode Innovation Clinic helping inventors with the early stages of patents and trademarks. Prior to law school Maddie obtained a PhD in Neuroscience, working in an Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics lab. Most recently, she summered at Bereskin & Parr LLP, an IP law firm and looks forward to continuing her education in intellectual property law.