The Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) and Marks & Clerk have signed a two-year associate partnership aimed at providing intellectual property (IP) services to members of the Mining Innovation Commercialisation Accelerator (MICA) Network in Canada.
CEMI manages the MICA Network, which was launched in July 2021.
The agreement designates Marks & Clerk as the preferred provider of IP expertise for the network, which supports mining innovators across Canada.
Members of the MICA Network will have direct access to Marks & Clerk’s lawyers and agents, who are expected to offer legal, technical and commercial support in securing and managing IP rights.
The services include workshops tailored to mining IP issues, monthly advisory sessions and joint efforts to measure and share knowledge regarding IP success among network members.
CEMI president and CEO Douglas Morrison said: “Today, more than 90% of the value of leading global companies resides in intellectual property and other intangible assets – not in their buildings, equipment or operations.
“If Canada is serious about building globally competitive mining technology companies, we must help innovators not only develop breakthrough solutions but also protect and commercialise the intellectual property that underpins their long-term success.”
The $300m (C$421.3m) MICA Network innovation ecosystem is backed by the Government of Canada's Strategic Innovation Fund. It aims to speed up commercialisation of advanced mining technologies.
The addition of dedicated IP assistance is intended to strengthen Canadian control over new mining technologies and the related IP.
This will help maintain the country’s economic stability and support the management of resource extraction methods and critical mineral supply chains.
Marks & Clerk, which operates in Toronto and Ottawa, among other locations, will also participate in CEMI events and collaborate on outreach initiatives to connect MICA members and other stakeholders with IP experts.
Marks & Clerk Canada partner Kevin Shipley said: “Canada is rich with natural resources and Canadian mining companies are highly innovative and rich in intangible assets – from proprietary technologies to specialised know-how and data and AI.
“Marks & Clerk can help MICA member companies transform intangibles into intellectual property assets that can be leveraged for significant commercial advantage.”
