Intellectual property is not just a legal formality — it is a strategic asset. Yet for many growing companies, IP decisions are made reactively, often after the window for meaningful protection has already closed.

This evening brings together two perspectives that rarely share the same stage: innovation strategy and intellectual property law. Elina Conley, Founder and Managing Director of Azenity Consulting and Entrepreneur in Residence at Innovation DuPage, and Mark Polyakov, Partner at Wood Phillips, will lead a structured conversation designed to help founders, product leaders, and executives understand how IP strategy intersects with the decisions they are already making.

What we will cover

Through a fireside chat format and interactive workshop, attendees will explore four key areas where IP strategy has direct business implications:

• White Space Innovation — How to read the IP landscape before committing resources to a new direction, and how to identify opportunity where others have left gaps.
• Incremental Innovation — When iterative improvement becomes protectable, and how to build a defensible IP position over time rather than in a single filing.
• Licensing — How to structure licensing agreements that function as both a revenue stream and a long-term competitive moat.
• Acquisition — What rigorous IP due diligence looks like in practice, and the red flags that can derail or devalue a deal.

Who should attend

This event is designed for professionals who make or influence growth decisions: founders and CEOs, product and R&D leaders, business development and strategy executives, and anyone navigating licensing, partnerships, or M&A activity.

This is not a lecture. It is a working conversation — and your questions and challenges are part of the agenda.