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Los Angeles, Oct. 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property (MIIP) is excited to announce the launch of Hacking IP: Considerations for Startups and Entrepreneurs. The first event in this year-long multi-city program is presented in collaboration with co-host Santa Monica College (SMC) and kicks off today, Wednesday, October 24th in Los Angeles. Guests are invited to join in an engaging and informative evening with IP thought leaders as we discuss how a well-formed IP strategy is critical for businesses competing in today’s digital economy. Registration is free and open to the public.
Rising startups and small businesses often enter the marketplace with a great innovation, but unaware of how to properly keep their intangible assets protected. Safeguarding a business name, logo, database of contacts, privacy documents, and trade secrets with the necessary copyrights, trademarks, and patents is necessary for any enterprise looking to succeed. The Hacking IP program empowers burgeoning innovators with the IP education needed to achieve long-term competitive advantage.
The Los Angeles event opens with remarks from Mayra Lombera, Co-Founder of Michelson Runway EdTech Accelerator and Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Michelson 20MM Foundation. The evening continues with a panel discussion moderated by SMC business professor Dana Nasser, joined by IP specialists:
Nathan Khalil: Nathan is an adjunct professor at the SMC Business Department. He is a former law-firm associate, specializing in patent law, at Jones Day, New York.
Benjamin Kuo: Ben is a patent attorney and former computer engineer with a solo IP practice based in L.A., specializing in helping smaller entities obtain IP protection.
Carmen Palafox: Carmen is Co-Founder of Make in LA, an incubator stage investment firm/venture capitalist.
Thomas Peistrup: Thomas is an attorney with extensive experience in IP, information security, and related fields. He presently serves as General Counsel at the InStyler® companies while maintaining an active private law firm practice.
In presenting Los Angeles Hacking IP, MIIP is proud to partner with event co-host Santa Monica College, the leader in transfers to the University of California systems. “Almost half of all college graduates begin their post-secondary education at a community college like Santa Monica College,” says Dr. Gary K. Michelson, founder of Michelson 20MM. “These indispensable learning centers foster the next generation of entrepreneurs, and it’s critical to establish an interdisciplinary approach to IP education within our community colleges so that our future innovators can thrive in the marketplace.”
MIIP also welcomes the support of event partners Bixel Exchange, CRASH Space LA, and Grid110 in making Los Angeles Hacking IP possible. Over the next year, the multi-city program will host discussions in ten cities across America including San Francisco, CA; Santa Rosa, CA; and in North Carolina. Join our mailing list for updates on when we’ll visit a location near you. And be sure to register for a free ticket to the Los Angeles event.
About Bixel Exchange
The Bixel Startup LAunch Program is the impact-driven tech incubator at Bixel Exchange, the Center for Innovation & Technology at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. Their mission is to elevate ALL tech entrepreneurs to sustainably grow while building an inclusive tech ecosystem within the greater Los Angeles region. To learn more, visit www.bixelexchange.com.
About CRASH Space LA
CRASH Space Is a 501(c)3 non-profit & hackerspace located in Culver City. It’s a place where people who are interested in a wide variety of topics ranging from science and technology to electronics and art can get together to see how things work, and find new things that can be built from the parts. To learn more, visit www.crashspace.org.
About Grid110
Grid110 is an economic and community development non-profit in partnership with the Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti that provides mentoring/resources for early-stage entrepreneurs through free cohort-based, accelerator style programs. The goal is to activate the community and help entrepreneurs realize sustainable growth paths that allow them to scale their businesses (and teams) in Los Angeles. To learn more, visit www.grid110.org.
About The Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property (MIIP)
The Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property, an initiative of the Michelson 20MM Foundation, addresses critical gaps in intellectual property education to empower the next generation of inventors by providing high-quality instructional content. Its library of free educational resources includes an interactive textbook, undergraduate IP curriculum, animated videos, and a self-paced online course.
Michelson 20MM was founded thanks to the generous support of renowned spinal surgeon Dr. Gary K. Michelson and his wife, Alya Michelson. To learn more, visit www.Michelson20mm.org.
About Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College is the leader among the state’s 112 community colleges in transferring students to the University of California, University of Southern California and other four-year campuses. We also pride ourselves on preparing students for careers of the 21st century – in such fields as nursing and health care, solar technology and other “green” careers, entertainment technology, computer technology, early childhood education, business, graphic design and other occupations.