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CDI First Fridays: IP & Contracts for Start-ups - Creating Value not Chaos

08 November 2024, 3:00 pm–6:00 pm

FF November

A focused introduction to protecting your IP in your contracts, which will be particularly helpful for early-stage life science companies.

This event is free.

Event Information

Open to

All

Availability

Yes

Cost

Free

Organiser

UCL Centre for Digital Innovation

Location

IDEALondon
69 Wilson Street
London
EC2A 2BB
United Kingdom

We all know that protecting IP and entering into well-negotiated contracts is vital to the success of an early-stage business. But where do you start? How do you contract for maximum growth and innovation?

If you want the low down on everything involved with protecting your valuable IP in all of the contracts you might need to protect it in - this is the session for you!

Session: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM, followed by networking drinks & refreshments

Agenda:

In this highly practical 60-minute session, we will work through the following:

  • Why is protecting your IP so important?
  • Confidentiality is a key issue, should you disclose confidential information and if you do, how do you ensure that your NDAs actually protect it?
  • Your start-up is only growing from here on out. There are going to be other people, employees and contractors and consultants, helping in the development of the business and perhaps the development of the IP. How can you be sure that no one else ends up with a claim to your IP?
  • What are the key issues and pitfalls in your out-sourcing agreements and consultancy agreements to make sure you retain ownership and control of your IP and new IP that is developed?
  • If you’re a university spin-out, then you’re unlikely to have ownership of all the IP you need to develop and grow your company. What kind of licence agreement should you expect from the university? What should you be looking for in the grant funding agreements that created the IP in the first place?
  • Collaborations are great, but how do you negotiate the key rights you need when new IP is created?
  • Investor Due Diligence: How can you be sure that you’ve got the IP rights you need to give investors’ confidence in your start-up? How to avoid the chaos.
  • If you use any Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in your company, what are the legal issues and pitfalls to be aware of?

Who is this for?

This session is for anyone wanting to understand the legal arrangements around intellectual property in contracts and to help their company grow.

About UCL CDI's First Fridays Community Networking evenings

Our First Fridays series is designed to empower the UCL CDI community by bringing together experts in academia, industry, and funding bodies to discuss essential topics surrounding funding and business readiness. It's an opportunity for you to gain valuable insights, connect with peers, and tap into the expert know-how that can fuel your entrepreneurial journey.

About the Speaker

Dr Lisa Page

Partner at Penningtons Manches Cooper

Dr Lisa Page is a partner in the intellectual property team who specialises in the life sciences and technology sectors. With a client base ranging from universities, pharmaceutical companies and software companies to digital and biotech start-ups and spin-outs, she advises on all stages of the innovation pathway. She has particular experience in the development stage of new products, covering collaboration, out-licensing and in-licensing arrangements including software licensing, SaaS and software development agreements, including AI.

Lisa has a PhD in molecular microbiology and direct practical experience of working in the pharmaceutical industry before re-training as a solicitor. Her scientific background provides a specialist insight into the issues faced by her clients and enables her to speak their language when advising on development programmes and the exploitation of life science technologies. She has held a number of in-house legal roles, including at the Energy Technologies Institute and Coventry University, and is a director of the West Midlands Health Technology Cluster Organisation.