CENGN adds New Ventures BC and Innovate BC for startup IP support

CENGN has added New Ventures BC and Innovate BC as members to bring intellectual property education and mentorship into its Living Lab projects for Canadian startups and scaleups. The move pairs real-world technology validation with IP support as Ottawa expands funding for commercialization and adoption projects.

Why it matters: - Canadian startups and scaleups using CENGN’s Living Lab Initiative can now access IP education and mentorship alongside technology validation. - The added support is meant to help founders make better IP decisions, strengthen commercialization, reduce business risk, and improve investment readiness. - The partnership is aimed at helping Canadian companies turn validated technology into market-ready products and long-term business value.

What happened: - CENGN announced New Ventures BC and Innovate BC as its newest members on September 3, 2026. - The partnership expands the CENGN Living Lab Initiative to include New Ventures BC and Innovate BC’s IP services for Canadian startups and scaleups. - The services will be available to companies conducting CENGN Living Lab projects in real-world and data centre environments.

The details: - CENGN Living Lab projects already provide access to advanced infrastructure, expert support, and real-world testing environments. - The expanded offering includes IP education and mentorship for companies preparing for market entry, customer adoption, or scaled growth. - New Ventures BC and Innovate BC’s services are not limited to patent filing. - The IP support can include trade secret protection, trademark registration, careful use of open source software, and guidance to avoid costly IP mistakes. - The partnership is designed to help founders choose protection strategies that fit their technology, market, and business goals. - CENGN said the addition creates a more holistic offering for innovative Canadian startups and scaleups. - New Ventures BC said the partnership will help protect Canadian innovation as it grows abroad. - Innovate BC said a stronger IP strategy can support smarter business decisions, investment attraction, and growth.

Between the lines: - The move shows CENGN broadening its role from infrastructure and validation toward commercialization support. - The partnership also reflects a wider push in Canada to connect technical testing with business-building services that can improve scale-up outcomes. - The focus on IP strategy signals that commercialization support now includes decisions about how to protect value, not just how to build technology.

What's next: - Canadian startups and scaleups in CENGN Living Lab projects will be able to use the new IP services as part of their validation work. - CENGN’s federal funding program is expected to keep supporting Innovation and Adoption Projects that help companies move from testing to market. - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s $45 million investment in CENGN is aimed at supporting 100 Canadian technology companies. - Innovation Projects include up to $250,000 in co-investment funding, rising to up to $500,000 for Adoption Projects.

The bottom line: - CENGN is pairing technology validation with IP support to help Canadian startups and scaleups commercialize faster and compete more effectively.