Intellectual Property Ontario names new CEO and provides update on operational expansion
IPON names permanent CEO as agency seeks to scale operations in support of Ontario innovators and researchers.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kitchener, ON (March 1, 2024) — The Ontario government and the Board of Directors of Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON) are pleased to announce the hiring of Dan Herman, PhD as the permanent Chief Executive Officer of IPON.
IPON was created in 2022 to equip Ontario’s innovators and researchers, as well as the publicly funded offices that support them, with the tools, strategies and knowledge required to not just compete but to win in today’s hyper-competitive, global knowledge economy.
Mr. Herman has previously held executive positions in both the public and private sector including as the executive director of innovation policy at the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED), co-founder of the Centre for Digital Entrepreneurship and Economic Performance, as well as vice president strategy and partnerships for an Ontario-based consumer hardware startup. In addition Dan has served as a member of the Board of Directors of IPON, and was previously the Government of Ontario’s special advisor on the creation of a centralized intellectual property resource and a member of the Province’s Expert Panel on Intellectual Property. He holds a PhD in political economy from the Balsillie School of International Affairs at Wilfrid Laurier University.
“On behalf of IPON’s Board of Directors, I am delighted to have Dan take the reigns as CEO. With Dan’s breadth of experience and expertise related to innovation and IP, combined with a truly global view of Ontario’s position in the global economy, we are very confident in Dan’s ability to lead IPON and its work with Ontario innovators to develop, protect and commercialize made-in-Ontario innovations,” said Karima Bawa, Chair of IPON’s Board of Directors.
“IPON is a central part of how we can better translate research into commercial outcomes and help both our researchers and our innovators maximize the value of their IP and drive prosperity for Ontario,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “In Dan’s new role as CEO of IPON I have no doubt he will provide tangible value across our post-secondary and innovation ecosystems, and we look forward to seeing the organization scale its support and services in 2024 and beyond.”
Since officially launching in the fall of 2022, IPON has received higher than expected demand for IP-related services and support from innovators and researchers across the province. IPON also works closely with post-secondary institutions across the province and launched a $2 million pilot program in 2023 that awarded funding to 7 projects across 10 institutions to augment internal IP knowledge and build in-house capacity. The agency is in the process of expanding this program to additional colleges and universities.
IPON services and support are available to Ontario small-and-medium sized enterprises with fewer than 500 employees in one of the following sectors: MedTech, life sciences, artificial intelligence, vehicle technology and mining, and advanced manufacturing. For information on services or to apply, visit www.ip-ontario.ca.
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Media Contact:
Cheryl Nicholson
Chief Operating Officer
Intellectual Property Ontario
cheryl.nicholson@ip-ontario.ca
Intellectual Property Ontario
Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON) is a provincial agency that provides trusted IP support and services to enable Ontario businesses and researchers to innovate and grow. IPON works directly with clients and postsecondary institutions to better understand how to protect and maximize the value of their IP, strengthen their capacity to grow, compete in the market, and advance the province’s economic growth. For more information visit www.ip-ontario.ca.