Patenting in the Early Years: A Coming of Age Story

5/17/2021

Illustration: Declan Wrede

SPARK.ed Patenting Series

Aurora is partnering with Ann Arbor SPARK to deliver a three part SPARK.ed series. You've had questions around patenting and the SPARK team has been listening! We've put this series together to address the most common questions that arise from startups within the SPARK ecosystem. Our very own Ashley Sloat, Ph.D. will be the instructor for all three talks.

Part 1: Patenting in the Early Years

A Coming of Age Story

The first talk will provide answers to common questions and strategy recommendations for those early years between idea and granted patent. We begin with your idea, how you can talk about it, and what you can and can’t do with it to avoid potentially irreversible patentability issues. We’ll tackle the fundamentals of when your provisional should be filed, how to maximize your runway, and what investors are looking for in your first patent. Moving beyond your provisional filing, we’ll dive into what your startup should be focused on during the critical year of pendency before conversion to a full application.

Time and Location: Thursday, June 17, 2021 at 11:30am - 12:30pm | Free Online Event

Part 2: Decrypting Software Patents

Key Insights for IP Success

Software is eating the world. It’s central to so much of today’s innovation, but in terms of patenting, it’s socially controversial and legally unsettled. We’ll discuss the dynamics at the core of both and what you need to know about the options for protecting your software-based innovation. We’ll take an international look at how the "world" views AI/ML innovations and also hit on particulars for SaaS and open source software considerations. From an implementation perspective, we’ll look at managing code ownership when outsourcing and how iterative agile methodology can impact your patent strategy.

Time and Location: Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 11:30am - 12:30pm | Free Online Event

Part 3: Prenuptial Patenting

Responsible Engagement with Engineering Firms

You have your big idea and now it’s time to breathe it into existence, but you need some help with the development. In this talk, we discuss everything you need to know before and during the course of engaging with an engineering firm. We’ll cover IP ownership, assignment from engineering firm inventors back to you, and how to avoid the traps of viral IP.

Time and Location: Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 11:30am - 12:30pm | Free Online Event

Registration details to follow.

About Ann Arbor SPARK: For more than 15 years, Ann Arbor SPARK has served the greater Ann Arbor region as a catalyst for economic development. They accomplish this by building awareness of the region as a destination for business and manufacturing development and growth. Their team of knowledge experts attracts, develops, strengthens, and invests in driving industries to help their communities prosper.

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