To make access to intellectual property more equitable, together

At MAIN, we believe that innovation can only reach its full potential if it is inclusive. With this in mind, we commissioned Élance to analyze the barriers to accessing intellectual property (IP) faced by underrepresented entrepreneurs—women, people of color, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, or those living in rural areas.

This post shares the report’s key findings, but above all, the concrete steps that will guide our actions in the coming months.

momentumPI aims to make intellectual property more accessible by supporting innovative entrepreneurs in developing their strategies. But without an inclusive approach, we risk perpetuating systemic inequalities rather than correcting them.

This mandate therefore sheds light on a significant blind spot in our work and, above all, provides us with concrete tools to improve our performance.

The analysis conducted by Élance is unequivocal: there are deep-seated, structural disparities in access to intellectual property in Quebec.

Some highlights:

• The IP system is perceived as complex, opaque, and impersonal.
• 65% of respondents cite high costs as the main barrier to accessing intellectual property-related procedures.
• Only 26% of the women surveyed know someone who has experienced an IP (compared to 64% among those who are not marginalized). The percentage drops even further for people of color (25%) and members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community (17%)
• The percentage of people who feel very or completely included in the entrepreneurial ecosystem is 45% among women, 30% among people of color, and 25% among immigrants, compared to nearly 60% for people who are not marginalized.

Here are some of the identified levers:

1. Provide support to the entrepreneurial support ecosystem to better address the diversity of entrepreneurial profiles (industry, knowledge, identities, etc.)
2. Simplify, make accessible, and centralize information on intellectual property to facilitate access at every stage (especially in the early stages) and to reach rural communities.
3. Highlight a variety of innovation models from underrepresented backgrounds, sectors, and regions, and seek out diverse testimonials and experts.
4. Create inclusive spaces for networking and exchange that are tailored to identity and regional realities.
5. Adapt approaches by co-developing tools with the relevant groups, based on their specific needs.

Download the full report to see all the recommendations and even more findings

We have a unique opportunity to address the system’s blind spots and build a more just ecosystem. Implementing these recommendations will contribute significantly to the creation of a more just, equitable, and inclusive intellectual property and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At MAIN, we are committed to:

• Incorporate the report's recommendations into the development of momentumPI.
• Work with our partners to adapt tools, training, and practices.
• Co-create solutions with the entrepreneurs involved

This work is essential—not only to better serve all entrepreneurs, but also to ensure that innovation in Quebec truly reflects its human potential. momentumPI can and must be a driving force in achieving this, and now is the time to act.
That is why we recently announced a partnership with the CDEC de Québec to offer their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training to our network.