News Summary

Canadian tech leaders are increasingly concerned about the impact of global trade policies and tariffs on their businesses. During a virtual Tariff Townhall hosted by Communitech, experts including Jim Hinton, founder of Own Innovation, discussed the importance of diversifying markets beyond the U.S. and strengthening intellectual property (IP) strategies. Panelists emphasized the need for regular IP audits to identify vulnerabilities in patents, trademarks, and agreements. With IP becoming a crucial aspect of due diligence, experts urged startups to utilize programs like ElevateIP for developing robust IP strategies. However, they also pointed out that Canada’s current procurement and innovation policies often favor U.S. tech giants, indicating a need for more R&D incentives and better access to procurement opportunities for Canadian companies.