TD Bank Group (TD) today announced a second round of funding for the Bank's unique, invitation only, Patents for Startups program to help early innovators focused on clean technology, health technology and sustainability solutions protect their investments on new and existing inventions.
The award-winning program, launched in 2017, works in collaboration with the TD Sustainable Future Lab accelerator in Waterloo and builds on a component of the TD Ready Commitment, the Bank's corporate citizenship platform. The funding and support from TD on the patent application process has been foundational in helping companies build and protect their intellectual property (IP). The patents program is also strongly aligned with the TD climate action plan, which targets net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, outlined in the Bank's Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy in November 2020.
"Helping to nurture a culture of innovation and inspire positive change through new products and ideas is key for these organizations to move forward," says Josh Death, Intellectual Property and Patentable Innovations Lead, TD Bank Group. "We are pleased to announce this new funding for the Patents for Startups program and are committed to empowering early-stage companies and innovators of all sizes to drive growth focussed on advanced technology.
"We are absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to take part in the Patents for Startups program and truly appreciate the Bank's enthusiasm towards green technology," says Luke Wolkiewicz, Chief Operating Officer, AMPERe. "Thanks to TD's remarkable assistance, our company was able to focus on the expansion of our current operations while remaining confident about the security of our IP."
"As a purpose-driven and forward-focused bank, we are committed to delivering creative solutions for our customers," says Rizwan Khalfan, Chief Digital and Payments Officer, TD Bank Group. "We are extremely proud of this milestone achievement and will continue to support TD colleagues in this innovation journey."