Startups

April 7, 2022
Photograph of a hand holding a smartphone. The smartphone displays the Youtube logo.
April 7, 2022

Is it Time for Video Provisional Patent Applications?

In a world of Instagram, Youtube and TikTok, why can't inventors submit their provisional patent applications entirely in video format?
Read more
October 26, 2021
Photo of two women working on tablets in front of a large window.
October 26, 2021

IP Basics: Patent Budgeting for Early Stage Startups

When budgeting for a patent, all tech startups face this conundrum: “I need investors to pay for a patent, but I need a patent to attract investors.”
Read more
August 30, 2021
Photograph of a woman conducting business at her laptop.
August 30, 2021

Top Questions We Get Asked About Provisional Patent Applications

Provisional patent applications are generally well known in the start-up community as an affordable way to protect patent rights, but it can be hard to locate practical information. Here are the questions that our clients most frequently ask us about provisional patent applications.
Read more
July 21, 2021
Photo of a project planning board covered in yellow sticky notes.
July 21, 2021

A Synergistic Combination: Patents and SR&ED

The trick is to efficiently resource patent and SR&ED initiatives while keeping product development on track. Here are a few tips that can help you do that.
Read more
March 23, 2017
March 23, 2017

Canadian 2017 Budget Plan: A Focus on Innovation and IP

2017 Budget Plan - The Canadian Federal Government announced its Budget Plan for 2017, which proposes a number of positive changes to the Canadian intellectual property regime.
Read more
August 24, 2016
August 24, 2016

PCK StartIP Series: 2 – Patent Grace Periods; A Way for a Lean Startup to Defer Patent Filing Costs

Provisional patent applications are the traditional way that a lean startup can obtain some preliminary patent protection at reasonable cost while they accelerate product development and […]
Read more
September 22, 2015
September 22, 2015

Crafting a Suitable IP Strategy – Tips from the Pros!

Many startups are basing their business plans and valuations on their innovation; patents and industrial designs can be the most valuable asset of the company. One of the best strategies to secure protection for your innovation involves the filing of a self-written provisional patent application. On October 21, beginning at 5 p.m., PCK will be providing a hands-on session in which founders can learn the basics of patents from Andrew Currier.
Read more
June 30, 2015
June 30, 2015

Writing Provisional Software Patent Applications

In the age of the “Lean Startup” $100,000 can be enough to get a startup well off the ground. However, with such tight budgets and limited funding there is often not much room left to pay a professional patent agent several thousand dollars to draft your patent application. This article provides some pointers on how to draft your own provisional software patent application.
Read more
May 12, 2015
May 12, 2015

The Oft Missed Synergy: Patents and SRED

Flat-out ignoring patents and SRED can result in leaving a lot of value on the table. Whatever one may think of patents, it is a fact that they can provide enormous value to a technology company if they are done correctly. By the same token, a successful SRED claim can lead to a significant short term financial boost for cash conscious companies.
Read more
April 13, 2015
April 13, 2015

A Tale of Two Startup Superclusters

Why is it that worldwide rankings of startup hubs group together a handful of population centres in Silicon Valley amounting to almost 7.5 million people, but Waterloo and Toronto, with only 124,600 and 5.8 million people respectively, and with equally as much mixing of talent between them, are always ranked separately and pitted against each other as competitors? Toronto and Waterloo are producing some of the most innovative new companies of the future. Fostering talent in both regions and bringing great ideas and great minds together can only work to our mutual benefit and ability to tackle the world scene. Geography should be no object.
Read more