Fewer innovations would be available without the incentive of potential

A correct answer could be "profits" or "income".

Intellectual property rights, and the free market, means that innovators have the possibility of earning significant income on their inventions. If an innovation (think invention, technology improvement, or better way of doing something) makes an industry or product more profitable, the inventor will enjoy the returns of that increased efficiency. Without this profit motive, there would likely be fewer innovations.