Table of contents
Introduction
Getting started
Innovation support
Regulations
Taxation
Financing
Other resources
Introduction
Technology and innovation businesses cover a wide range of industries. These businesses may focus on activities such as researching and developing new products or providing innovative solutions to existing processes. Whether you are interested in new technologies, product innovation or research and development, this guide will help you learn what is needed to start your business.
Getting started
Innovation support
Innovation Canada
If you are looking for funding or expert advice, Innovation Canada has programs and services to help your business innovate, create jobs and grow the economy.
- Business Benefits Finder is a tool where you can get a tailored list of everything that government can do for your business.
- Innovation Advisors provide free, one-on-one assistance to help guide you to the most appropriate innovation programs and services. If you are incorporated and creating a new innovative product, process or service, an advisor can help you find funding, expertise, facilities and global opportunities.
- Strategic Innovation Fund invests in innovative businesses, helping you to scale-up, research, develop and commercialize cutting-edge ideas and collaborate in new ways.
- Innovative Solutions Canada enables the Government of Canada to partner with eligible small businesses and innovators to help with early development, testing and validation of prototypes that solve challenges.
- Clean Growth Hub gives businesses with clean technology projects a personal guide to answer questions, talk through options or make introductions.
- Accelerated Growth Service gives high-growth companies one advisor for all government programs and services.
Digital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR)
If you run a Canadian small- or medium-size business with less than 500 employees and are involved in software development, testing and demonstration, you may benefit from the DAIR program’s high-performance cloud resources. Advantages include:
- Free self-serve access to high performance virtual servers
- Easy, online application process
- Ability to develop and test many types of software applications for tech-based businesses
- Ability to develop e-commerce applications, services or websites, either for internal or external use for non-tech businesses
- Free, curated packages of resources on a specific emerging technology to get your start-up or early-stage business to market faster
- The DAIR Community offering a Slack Channel, webinar series and tech support
- Storage of data in Canada (may be a legal or contractual requirement for some businesses)
Additional services and resources are also available for a fee.
Note: All use of the service must be non-commercial (pre-commercial or non-revenue generating). Other conditions apply.
Contact CANARIE:
613-943-5454
DAIR Cloud Program
Regulations
Intellectual property protection
You may want to protect your business’s intellectual property, such as inventions or designs. Contact the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) to learn how to protect your intellectual property.
Contact CIPO:
1-866-997-1936
Canadian Intellectual Property Office
Chemical Substances
Find out about managing chemical substances, including information on:
- Regulations and regulatory changes
- Mandatory industry surveys
- Chemicals Management Plan initiatives and resources
- Notification requirements under the New Substances Program
Read online:
Businesses and organizations managing chemical substances
Medical laboratory & health related regulations
Below are regulations specific to medical laboratories and health-based research businesses:
Science-based health products
If your business will be involved in developing or working with chemical technology, biotechnology or medical technology, contact Health Canada to learn more about regulations for science-based health products.
Contact Health Canada:
1-866-225-0709
Health and the environment
Ontario laboratory accreditation
If you want to run a medical research laboratory, you will need to get an ISO certificate and follow the standards set by the Ministry of Health and by Accreditation Canada Diagnostics.
Contact Accreditation Canada Diagnostics:
1-877-323-9540
Lab accreditation services
Taxation
Financing
For more information on financial and non-financial support for technology and innovation entrepreneurs, please refer to the following guides:
Technology and innovation: Financial support
Technology and innovation: Non-financial support
Other resources
Industry-specific information
- BIOTECanada
- Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA)
- International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
- Technation
- Information and Cultural Industries (NAICS 51): Ontario