Startup IP Strategy: Protect, Monetize, and Scale | Cogent Law Webinar

Without an intellectual property plan, startups can lose leverage with investors, miss licensing revenue, or encounter avoidable disputes. From protecting core innovations to structuring licensing deals and preparing for fundraising or an exit, intellectual property plays a critical role at every stage of growth.

Join Evan Smith, Partner at Cogent Law, Patent Attorney, and IP Strategist, for a practical, founder-focused webinar on how startups can identify, protect, and monetize their intellectual property. Evan has advised hundreds of startups on patents, trademarks, licensing, early-stage filings, and fundraising diligence.

This session will guide attendees through the full lifecycle of intellectual property, from early-stage protection to long-term monetization and exit readiness. Attendees will leave with clear next steps, whether they are building a pre-seed company or scaling an established venture.

What You Will Learn

• How to identify what may be patentable and protect your company’s core intellectual property.
• When and how to use trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets effectively.
• How to align your intellectual property strategy with product development and fundraising goals.
• Key considerations for structuring licensing and commercialization agreements.
• What investors look for when evaluating intellectual property during fundraising and M&A processes.
• How to prepare for enforcement and mitigate infringement risks as your company scales.
• Best practices for maintaining and evolving your intellectual property strategy over time.

Who Should Attend

• Startup founders and executive teams.
• Early-stage entrepreneurs building technology-driven businesses.
• Growth-stage companies preparing for fundraising or expansion.
• Product, engineering, and innovation leaders.
• Investors and advisors working with high-growth startups.
• Legal and compliance professionals supporting emerging companies.

Meet the Speaker

Evan Smith

Partner, Patent Attorney & IP Strategist, Cogent Law

Evan Smith is a licensed patent attorney, electrical engineer, M.B.A., and serial entrepreneur who has advised hundreds of startups and high-growth companies on intellectual property and corporate strategy. He has served as CEO of Eye Controls L.L.C., COO and General Counsel at EyeTicket Corporation, and General Counsel of a fintech company. He also previously led the intellectual property department at Greenberg Traurig’s main technology office.

Evan advises companies on protecting, enforcing, and monetizing patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets across industries including medical technology, software, fintech, and electronics. He also represents clients nationwide in intellectual property litigation and licensing matters, including the successful enforcement of patent portfolios that generated significant royalty recoveries.