Innovation strategy
Whether to stay ahead of the competition or to pierce a new market, everyone knows that innovation is the key to success. But the question remains: how do you surround yourself with innovative people and how can you be more innovative?
In a study published by the Harvard Business Review, which took place over the course of six years, researchers studied the habits of 25 innovative entrepreneurs and surveyed over 3,000 executives and 500 individuals. They concluded that there are five discovery skills that set innovative people apart. They are:
- associating
- questioning,
- observing,
- experimenting, and
- networking.
As an entrepreneur or an executive, you’ll be putting the odds in your favour if you can capitalize on the expertise of those who surround you.
If you think you need a specific expertise, QuébecInnove can help you find the right partners and collaborators.
Key contacts
Here is, according to QuébecInnove, the list of key contacts you need to see your projects through, from idea to marketing:
- QuébecInnove, to gain access to Quebec’s research and innovation ecosystem
- Innovation Canada to gain access to federal organizations that support innovation
- The corporate services at Investissement Québec
- A regional development agency (CLD, MRC, SADC, CAE, etc.)
- A private financial partner
Intellectual property
From the idea phase to marketing, developing innovation is a multistep process. Part of this process can only be achieved by developing an intellectual property strategy.
When taking part in collaborative projects, it’s essential for parties to agree upon what needs to be delivered and the distribution of benefits. To this end, it is in your best interest to thoroughly plan your intellectual property strategy with your research and innovation partners.
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office offers a toolbox with roadmaps that lists all the steps you need to follow to protect your intellectual property.
IP toolbox from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)
Developing your intellectual property also requires an IP protection strategy. Here’s a roadmap on how to hire an IP professional. There is a plethora of specialized resources (lawyers, patent agents, and trademark agents) that can help you to this end.
