Unlocking IP for New Canadians: Starting a Business in Canada

​Event Summary

​New to Canada and thinking about starting a business? Join Catapult Startups and ElevateIP Alberta for a practical, hands-on session on how to identify, protect, and leverage your intellectual property (IP) in Canada.

​Guest speaker Julian Dobre, IP Lawyer, will walk through Canadian IP basics—trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets—using simple language and real small-business examples. You’ll complete a mini IP-mapping exercise for your own idea and leave with concrete next steps and resources.

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​What you will learn in this session:

• ​Understand what IP is and why it matters for growth

• ​​The difference between patents, trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights, and data rights—and when each makes strategic sense.

• ​​Intellectual Property Inventory Checklist for your business or startup.

• ​​How to write a one-sentence Intellectual Property positioning statement tailored for investors, banks, and government organizations.

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​Who should attend: People new to Canada (immigrants, newcomers, refugees) who are starting or interested in starting a business.