The “First Patent Program”: A Great Start for Protecting your Innovation

2016-06-06

ROBIC,LLPwww.robic.ca
info@robic.com
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Quebec,Quebec,CanadaG1V0B9
Tel.:+1418653-1888Fax.:+1418653-0006

THE”FIRSTPATENTPROGRAM”:AGREATSTARTFORPROTECTINGYOUR
INNOVATION
LOUISEG.BERNIER*
ROBIC,
LLP
L
AWYERS,PATENTANDTRADE-MARKAGENTS

Inventorsandentrepreneurs,takenote!
Ifyourcompanyhasneverfiledanapplicationtoprotecttheresultsofitsresearch
projects,itnowhasamoreappealingoptiontodosothroughtheFirstPatent
Program(ProgrammePremierBrevets)createdbytheQuebecMinistryofEconomy,
InnovationandExports(MEIE).
ThisprogramaimstoincreasethenumberofQuebeccompaniesprotectingtheir
intellectualproperty(IP).Itwasestablishedtoencouragebusinesseswith250
employeesorless,registeredinthe“RegistredesentreprisesduQuébec”,andwho
haveneverfiledanapplication:
·forapatent,
·anindustrialdesign,or
·toregisteranintegratedcircuittopographies,
andforwhichtheinnovation:
·requiredresearchanddevelopmentefforts;and
·hasmarketpotential.

SincethelaunchoftheprogramonAugust1st,2015,aneligiblebusinesscould
benefitfromthereimbursementofasubstantialpartofitsIPexpensesonitsfirst-
filedapplicationofthistype.
FundingProcess
Thefinancialaidconsistsofarefundofupto50%oftheapplicableIPexpenses,up
toamaximumof$25,000perproject(i.e.foraprojectwith$50,000intotal
applicableIPexpenses).Acompanycanreceivefinancialassistanceforoneproject
onlyundertheFirstPatentProgram.
Onceyourrequestforfinancialaidisaccepted,theMEIEwillsendyouan
agreement,settingouttherelatedterms.Aftersignatureoftheagreement,the

©CIPS,2016.*FromROBIC,LLP,amultidisciplinaryfirmofLawyers,andPatentandTrade-markAgents.Published
intheWinter2016(Vol.19,no.2)Newsletterofthefirm.Publication068.200E.

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Ministrywilldisburse50%oftheprojectedcostsforthefirststepoftheapplication
process.Allotherpaymentswillbemadeonceitisshownthatthepreviousstepwas
completedandpaidfor.
RefundableExpenses
Forpatentapplications,thefollowinginterventionsmaybeeligiblefor
reimbursement:
·priorartsearch
·patentabilityanalysis
·draftingandfilingofapatentapplication
·strategycoaching
·freedom-to-operateopinion
·nationalphaseentryofaninternational(PCT)application
·examinationoftheapplication
aslongasthesestepsareperformedafterapplyingforfinancialaidundertheFirst
PatentProgram.
SelectionCriteria
SomeaspectsoftheprojectarepositivelyevaluatedbytheMinistry,namely:
·ahighmarketpotential;
·thequalityoftheIPserviceoffer;
·thelevelofcompetenceoftheIPteamwhoproducedtheserviceoffer.

Theriskinessoftheprojectorunpredictabilityofatechnologymayhaveanegative
impactonitsevaluationforeligibilityduetothehighlevelofuncertaintyregardingthe
project.
TheteamofpatentagentsatROBIChavepreparedaserviceofferspecifically
designedtomeetthecriteriaestablishedbytheMEIEfortheFirstPatentProgram.

OnlyprojectsforwhichthefirststepstowardsIPprotectionweretakenafterAugust
1st,2015,areeligiblefortheFirstPatentprogram.Assuch,provisionalorregular
patentapplicationsfiledaftersuchdatewouldbeeligible.IfyourPCTapplication
wasfiledpriortoAugust1st,2015,butyournationalphasesentries(NPE)aretobe
filedlater,theexpensesfortheNPEwouldbeeligible.Itishoweverimportantto
keepinmindthatonlyexpensesincurredafterthedateofsubmissionofyourrequest
forfinancialaidareeligibleforreimbursement,andthisforaperiodofupto36
monthsfollowingthedateofsubmissionofyourrequestforfinancialaid.

RequiredDocuments

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Businesseswhowishtorequestfinancialaidmustsubmitthefollowingdocumentsto
theQuebecMinistryofEconomy,InnovationandExports(MEIE):
·thecompletedsubmissionform,whichcanbedownloadedat
7;and
·theserviceofferpreparedbyROBIC.

Thesedocumentsshouldbesenttothe“Directiondesmaillagesetdespartenariats
duministère”andcanbesubmittedatanytime.
InadditiontothesubmissionformandtheserviceofferpreparedbyROBIC,we
recommendthatyousubmitanydocument,letterofintentorcontractthatmayhelp
indicatetotheMinistrythatyourprojectisseriousandwellonitswaytobeing
commercialized.Forexample,ifyoualreadyhaveapotentiallicensingpartner,this
factshouldbeemphasizedinyourapplicationforfinancialaid,asitsupportsthe
commercialpotentialofyourinnovation.TheMinistryhasindicatedthatallrelevant
informationwillbeconsidered.
PleasecontactusifyouwouldliketoapplyfortheFirstPatentProgramandbenefit
fromROBIC’sserviceoffercustomizedfortheFirstPatentProgram.Ourhighly
specializedteamofpatentagentswillprovideitsexperienceandknowledgeinthe
fieldofpatentstoofferyouthebestpossibleprotectionforyourinnovation.Forover
120years,ourmissionistoadviseourclientsonhowtogainandmaintaina
competitiveedgeinthemarketplacethroughtheeffectiveprotection,management,
developmentandmarketingoftheirinnovationenforcingtheirproprietaryrights.

ROBIC,ungrouped’avocatsetd’agentsdebrevetsetdemarquesdecommercevouédepuis1892à
laprotectionetàlavalorisationdelapropriétéintellectuelledanstouslesdomaines:brevets,dessins
industrielsetmodèlesutilitaires;marquesdecommerce,marquesdecertificationetappellations
d’origine;droitsd’auteur,propriétélittéraireetartistique,droitsvoisinsetdel’artisteinterprète;
informatique,logicielsetcircuitsintégrés;biotechnologies,pharmaceutiquesetobtentionsvégétales;
secretsdecommerce,know-howetconcurrence;licences,franchisesettransfertsdetechnologies;
commerceélectronique,distributionetdroitdesaffaires;marquage,publicitéetétiquetage;poursuite,
litigeetarbitrage;vérificationdiligenteetaudit.ROBIC,agroupoflawyersandofpatentand
trademarkagentsdedicatedsince1892totheprotectionandthevalorizationofallfieldsofintellectual
property:patents,industrialdesignsandutilitypatents;trademarks,certificationmarksandindications
oforigin;copyrightandentertainmentlaw,artistsandperformers,neighbouringrights;computer,
softwareandintegratedcircuits;biotechnologies,pharmaceuticalsandplantbreeders;tradesecrets,
know-how,competitionandanti-trust;licensing,franchisingandtechnologytransfers;e-commerce,
distributionandbusinesslaw;marketing,publicityandlabelling;prosecutionlitigationandarbitration;
duediligence.

COPYRIGHTER

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