This session will discuss the role of intangible assets in the data-driven economy and introduce the various types of intellectual property rights. Participants will learn about the requirements for patent, copyright, trademarks and industrial design protection, and ways to protect their confidential information or trade secrets. The session will expose participants to practical examples on how different forms of IP rights intersect and overlap

This session will introduce participants to the freedom to operate concept and the rationale for adopting an IP strategy. Participants will learn about the structure of an IP strategy and its internal/external elements, including considerations for deciding between different forms of IP protection. The session will conclude with discussing the best practices in developing an IP strategy.

This session will first outline the various elements of an IP audit used to determine the potential IP assets owned, used or acquired. The process of conducting a due diligence review of intangible assets will be described with practical examples. This session will also cover the various methods for extracting economic value from intangible assets and the different factors that influence IP valuation.

This session will explore how individuals can transform ideas into commercially viable products and services. Various commercialization pathways will be covered, including selling the technology, joint ventures and partnering, public-private partnerships, assignment, and licensing. The session will specifically break down the assignment and licensing processes to provide practical considerations on how to pursue these methods of commercializing IP assets.

This session will explain the patent filling process and trademark registration requirements using hands-on activities. For each form of IP rights, considerations for pursuing transnational protection will be discussed as well as the associated costs and procedures.

This session will explore the challenges and impact of e-commerce on IP rights. The session will identify the common IP challenges related to the ownership and protection of digital platforms. The session will also explore ways to resolve potential conflicts between trademarks and domain names when several trademark owners want to acquire the same domain name, as well as the registration of domain names in bad faith.