Three things you should know about building an IP strategy to attract investment

If you’re a founder raising capital, you need more than a great product and a pitch deck. You need a clear, strategic story about how you own and protect what makes your business unique. That’s where intellectual property (IP) comes in.  

Erin Pisko, VP, Strategy at Innovation Asset Collective and Stefan Chiasson, Principal at BDC Capital are two of Alberta’s top IP experts. They say IP strategy does more than defend your technology. Done right, it can fuel growth, unlock funding, and set you apart from the competition. 

It’s not just about filing patents either; it’s about showing investors that you understand your value, your market and how to protect both. 

Creating strong successful made-in-Alberta tech businesses is key to a strong and successful Alberta economy.  

“This province is full of great companies with high-growth potential,” says Ayo Aiyeleye, ED, Capital Development at Alberta Innovates. “We connect investment-ready Alberta startups with investors and also provide coaching and education on fundraising to help set companies up for success.” 

Here are three things every Alberta entrepreneur should know about building an investor-ready IP strategy. 

Start with strategy: build IP around your customer value 

A common mistake? Jumping straight into filing patents without understanding what actually drives your business.  

“It is important to develop an IP Strategy Stack,” says Pisko. “Start with identifying your unique value in the market and only then move to protecting it.”  

She says it is important to not just ask what your tech does, but to ask why customers care.  

What sets you apart? What made them choose you rather than the competition? Once you understand that, you can start to shape your IP approach.  

Whether it’s trade secrets, proprietary workflows or exclusive data, the goal is to own what makes you competitive, not just what’s patentable. 

When you begin with what your customers’ value, IP becomes a tool to grow your business.   

Show investors you’re ready: IP is a growth signal 

Founders with a strong IP strategy send a powerful message: We’re serious about scaling. 

Investors don’t assess startups on patents filed; they want to see you’ve thought strategically about how IP strengthens your business and allows you to grow. 

According to Chaisson, investors want to see: 

• A clear connection between your IP and your value proposition.
• A plan for freedom to operate that shows you’re not stepping into legal landmines.
• Evidence of IP maturity, like agreements, processes and good habits that signal you’re thinking long-term.

These aren’t just legal checkboxes. This due diligence shows you’ve built a solid foundation that can scale with your business. 

Layer it in: trade secrets, data and contracts are IP too 

Just because you don’t have a patent to file doesn’t mean you don’t have valuable IP.  Your IP also includes things like: 

• Trade secrets like algorithms or processes 
• Proprietary datasets 
• Strategic contracts and NDAs 
• UX and software features 

 For example, a company’s most valuable asset might not be its patented sensor technology; its data could be what customers truly value. By pivoting IP strategy around customer insight, you can built stronger investor interest and open new opportunities for growth. 

Not listening to your customers could be a major risk. He says the developers of an early version of a bicycle patented their bike design before going out to their customers. It turned out they liked the gear mechanism but not the bike design. They hadn’t patented the gear system.  

A strong IP strategy starts by identifying what your customers truly value and protecting it. When you layer all the elements that create that value – from data and trade secrets to contracts and processes – you can build a business that’s more resilient and investable.   

Click the photo above to view the webinar

Watch the webinar  

To learn more about IP strategy, watch our webinar, Capital Access: IP Investment Readiness, featuring Erin Pisko and Stefan Chiasson. You’ll learn more about how to: 

• Build an IP strategy that is aligned with your business model 
• Communicate your IP value to investors 
• Avoid common mistakes and maximize you company’s funding potential