Speaker: Eric Luvisotto (Technology Transfer Officer, Waterloo Commercialization Office – WatCo)
Date: Friday, October 10, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM EDT
Location: Online (Microsoft Teams)
Hosts: IEEE KW AP-S & MTT-S Student Branch Chapters, IEEE Waterloo Young Professionals, and the IEEE Ottawa Section Joint AP-S/MTT-S Chapter
Meeting ID: 269 446 987 982
Passcode: 7sv9zT7f
Event Summary:
This virtual session introduces the fundamentals of Intellectual Property (IP) protection with a focus on patents. Participants will learn about IP types, common pitfalls, and how IP supports commercialization through licensing and start-ups. The talk also includes “Are You an Inventor?”, a discussion addressing key considerations around ownership and collaboration in academia, plus practical tips for those interested in start-up creation.
Speaker Biography:
Eric is a registered Canadian Patent Agent (2003) and Professional Engineer, holding Master’s (1998) and Bachelor’s (1995) degrees in Engineering from the University of Waterloo.
He has worked in the IP field since 1999, including positions at two Canadian IP law firms, as founder of a start-up company, and as an in-house IP specialist for a large automotive manufacturer. In 2008, Eric joined the Waterloo Commercialization Office (WatCo) as Technology Transfer Officer, where he evaluates new ideas for patentability and commercial potential, identifies licensing opportunities, and supports start-up formation.
Eric is a frequent guest lecturer on IP at UW, delivering sessions such as “IP 101,” “IP Case Study,” “Copyright,” and “Trademarks.” He routinely speaks to new faculty, postdocs, and graduate students about WatCo services, UW’s IP policy, and general IP concepts.
He is a member of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada and its Bank of Speakers, and a former long-standing member of the Licensing Executives Society and the Association of University Technology Managers.