Intellectual Property Training
About The Program
The Intellectual Property Information Program is a BCW initiative designed to help entrepreneurs, business owners, creators, and aspiring entrepreneurs better understand intellectual property (IP) and how to protect the ideas and assets they create.
The program is delivered in collaboration with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) and provides practical information on the major forms of intellectual property, including trademarks, patents, copyright, industrial designs, and trade secrets. These protections can apply to everything from a business name, logo, and original content to inventions, product designs, and confidential business information.
Participants Learn How To:
Black women are among the most influential consumers in the beauty industry, spending significantly more on beauty and grooming than the general market—up to nine times more, with estimates ranging between $9 billion and nearly $2.6 billion annually in hair and beauty spending alone. Despite this immense purchasing power, Black-owned beauty brands make up just 2.5% of industry revenue and are underrepresented at every level—from products on shelves to leadership in boardrooms. This inequity stifles economic mobility and limits opportunities for Black entrepreneurs and professionals.
Our program combines business education, cultural inclusion, and tangible support. We provide essential resources—from licensing and marketing know-how to real-world salon spaces, mentorship, and culturally sourced products—so participants can build businesses that reflect their identities and values, while funders drive true economic equity. In doing so, we create sustainable pathways for economic mobility, ensuring that Black women—who drive so much of the beauty economy—gain the ownership, recognition, and prosperity they deserve.
Who is this for?
The program is particularly useful for entrepreneurs who may be developing a brand, product, service, invention, design, or original content but are unsure about what can be protected or where to begin. CIPO specifically identifies entrepreneurs, innovators, creators, and small and medium-sized businesses as audiences that can benefit from understanding and strategically using IP.