Introducing SAIL: A Simpler Way to License IP

It’s time for a new way to license innovation.

I’ve got something exciting to share with you today. It’s called SAIL—the Simplified Agreement for Innovation Licensing. We’ve been working on this to make the process of commercializing intellectual property (IP) faster and way less complicated.

First off, a huge shoutout to Kyle Briggs at CanInnovate, the chief collaborator who helped bring this idea to life. Big thanks also to Tai Nahm and David Durand for their legal expertise, and to all the TTOs (Technology Transfer Offices) and founders who gave us invaluable feedback during the drafting process.

Why We Created SAIL

Let’s be honest—the traditional way of licensing IP from universities is a bit of a nightmare. It’s slow, expensive, and bogged down by complex negotiations and legal fees. This not only hampers innovation but often stops groundbreaking ideas from ever reaching the market.

Our goal with SAIL is simple: to simplify and speed up the path of commercializing IP. We want to cut through the red tape and give founders and researchers an easy, straightforward way to bring their innovations to life.

Drawing Inspiration from YC’s SAFE

Some of you might be familiar with Y Combinator’s SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity). When it came out, it revolutionized startup financing by making investment agreements simpler and quicker to execute. It really sped up transactions and helped startups raise money without getting lost in legal jargon.

We thought, why not apply the same concept to IP licensing? So, we took inspiration from SAFE to create SAIL. By keeping the agreement clear and concise, both parties can move forward confidently and without unnecessary delays.

Collaborating with Key Players

We didn’t create SAIL in a vacuum. We made sure to get input from all the key players involved:

• Founders: who want a clear and quick path to bring their innovations to market.

• Researchers at universities: who deserve recognition and a smooth process to see their work applied in the real world.

• Investors: who need transparent agreements that won’t scare them off with hidden pitfalls or constraints.

By factoring in these perspectives, we’ve crafted an agreement that aligns everyone’s interests.

Canada Needs to Step Up Its Game

It’s no secret that Canada is lagging behind when it comes to commercializing IP. Despite our top-notch research institutions and talented minds, too many innovations get stuck in the lab and never make it to the marketplace. This not only slows down our economy but also means we miss out on advancements that could benefit everyone.

SAIL is our way of addressing this gap. By providing an easy-to-use formula for licensing, we hope to encourage more Canadian innovations to see the light of day. It’s high time we capitalize on our potential and take a leading role in global innovation.

With that being said, SAIL is designed to work universally and not only in Canada. We hope it can inspire many founders and researchers to partner up and bring more innovation to market.

Making It Easy and Fundable

At the end of the day, SAIL is designed to be an easy formula for founders and researchers to use. We focused on simplicity and optimizing for fundability—making sure the agreement is structured in a way that makes investors comfortable backing it.

By reducing complexity, we’re lowering the barriers that prevent great ideas from becoming reality.

Wrapping Up

Innovation drives progress, and we want to do everything we can to accelerate that progress. SAIL represents a significant step toward a more dynamic and efficient innovation ecosystem in Canada and beyond.

I’m super excited about the potential impact of SAIL and can’t wait to see how it helps bring more ideas to market.

If you’re a founder, researcher, investor, or part of a TTO, I invite you to check out SAIL and see how it can benefit you. Let’s work together to bring more innovations to life.

Without further ado, here is SAIL:

SAIL - Simple Agreement for Innovation Licensing

About the artist

Jessica Woulfe, a contemporary Canadian artist. This piece is called The Future is Bright and it is the Atomhawk Solarpunk Contest Grand Prize Winner