MATTER Workshop: Trade Secret Basics for Startups

MATTER members and partners: use your discount code for 100% off the registration price. If you don't know your code, please email info@matter.health for assistance.

ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP

When starting a new venture, innovators need to consider a number of things — among the most important of these are issues relating to intellectual property. In many circumstances, failure to identify and take steps to protect intellectual property can make or break a company. While trade secrets represent one important form of intellectual property that can give a startup an advantage over its competition, it is often overlooked and can be lost by accident or by misappropriation.

Join this workshop to learn how to:

• Identify and protect trade secret information 

• Implement practical strategies to protect your trade secrets

• Use sample confidentiality and non-compete agreements as the basis for building your own 

Can't attend in person? Join us in our virtual classroom. To join this workshop virtually via Webex, select the "Virtual classroom" ticket type at checkout - access instructions will be included in your email receipt.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Emily Miao, Ph.D. is a partner with McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP and serves as co-Chair of the firm's Startups & Entrepreneurs Practice Group. Dr. Miao has over 20 years of experience in all aspects of intellectual property practice, including patent, trademark and copyright procurement and portfolio management; client counseling on validity, infringement, freedom-to-operate (FTO), due diligence reviews, and patent strategy matters; and licensing/secrecy agreements. She represents many companies, both large and small, and universities and is particularly experienced in representing start-up companies in prosecution, counseling, and licensing. She is a member of Chicago Innovation Mentors (CIM), a division of the MATTER Chicago organization which promotes entrepreneurship, innovation and commercialization to improve healthcare. She is also a mentor for SmartHealth Activator, an incubator supporting and promoting startups in North Chicago. As a mentor, she frequently works with businesses and entrepreneurs on intellectual property matters including patent licensing, research agreements, patent protection, and trade secret protection. She is also actively involved Women in Bio (WIB), a national organization committed to promoting careers, leadership and entrepreneurship for women in the life sciences, and serves on the WIB Chicago Chapter Advisory Board of Directors.