Faculty, staff and students are invited to attend any or all of the sessions centered around Intellectual Property (IP). Hosted by Eric Luvisotto, technology transfer manager in the Office of Research, with co-presenters Mike Crinson and Jennifer Ko, the topics will include the basics of IP, copyright, and trademarkings.
All sessions will take place from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. through Zoom. Please register below for the sessions you would like to attend.
IP101 & Commercialization - Friday, October 14, 2022, 1 to 3 p.m.
Presenter: Eric Luvisotto
This session covers the basics of Intellectual Property (IP) protection with a focus on patents.
You’ll learn about the different types of IP protection available and some of the most common pitfalls to avoid. Learn about the resources available to you at the University of Waterloo, including the Waterloo Commercialization Office (WatCo). Hear how IP is used to commercialize technology through licensing or start-up creation. Included is a brief discussion on “Are You an Inventor?” which highlights some key points for consideration as this issue has come up when there may be a misunderstanding between Faculty and Grad Students. Also included are some helpful tips for those interested in creating a start-up.
IP Case Study - Friday, October 28, 2022, 1 to 3 p.m.
Presenter: Eric Luvisotto
A case study which explores aspects of how to use the main forms of Intellectual Property (IP) protection to commercialize technology. This is an interactive case study that allows the participants to experience a realistic situation where they get to see how IP can be applied to protect and commercialize a potentially valuable technology created by a group of university students.
Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Trade Secrets - Friday, November 18, 2022, 1 to 3 p.m.
Presenters: Eric Luvisotto and Jennifer Ko
Did you know that the top five most valuable brands in the world in 2020 are all technology companies?
The most valuable brand in the world in 2020, according to Forbes, was Apple with an estimated value of over $241 Billion (USD). By comparison, Coca-Cola’s brand value in 2020 was over $64 Billion (USD). Attend the Trademark presentation and learn how to use this form of Intellectual Property (IP) protection to build the brand value of your technology or Start-Up.
Copyright & Software - Friday, December 2, 2022, 1 to 3 p.m.
Presenters: Eric Luvisotto and Mike Crinson
Did you know that software code is protected by Copyright? Have you paid someone to write code for you? If so, did you ask them to waive their Moral rights to the code? Attend the Copyright talk and learn about the different forms of Copyright protection, how to use it to commercialize your technology, and how it may affect you and your software.
Presenters' biographies
Eric is a registered Canadian Patent Agent (2003) and has earned his Master’s (1998) and Bachelor’s (1995) degrees in Engineering from the University of Waterloo.
Eric has many years of experience in the field of Intellectual Property (IP), having dedicated his career to IP in 1999. His career spans a wide variety of experiences, including working for two Canadian IP law firms, founding and running his own Start-Up company, and working “in-house” for a large automotive parts manufacturer.
In 2008, Eric accepted the position of Technology Transfer Officer with the University of Waterloo’s Waterloo Commercialization Office (WatCo). In this role he analyzes new ideas for patentability and commercial potential; he also seeks out potential receptors of these new technologies and negotiates licensing agreements with them. He is also involved with the creation of Start-Up companies when the technology merits this pathway.
Eric has been a popular guest lecturer on Intellectual Property, having created several IP presentations for faculty and students at the University of Waterloo including: “IP 101”, “IP Case Study”, “Copyright”, “Trademarks” and CREATE courses. He also routinely gives talks to various UW groups (including New Faculty, Post Doc’s, Grad Students, Optometry, etc.) on WatCo’s services, UW’s IP policy and IP in general.
Eric is a member of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada and is a member of their Bank of Speakers.
He is also a long standing member of the Licensing Executives Society, and past member of the Association of University Technology Managers.
Michael Crinson has been described as “brilliant and persuasive” and “a persuasive orator and excellent litigator who comes up with uniquely creative solutions.”. He is one of Canada’s more experienced intellectual property law trial counsel having been counsel on numerous contentious IP matters including patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, and ownership and inventorship disputes.
Michael has also been described as a “versatile IP expert” with experience in a wide variety of technical areas including medical devices, forestry equipment, pharmaceuticals, the food industry, electrical engineering, polymer chemistry and biotechnology, particularly genetically modified plant material. He has appeared as both trial and appellate counsel before the Federal, Ontario and Alberta courts in a variety of proceedings often in parallel with proceedings in jurisdictions including the United States, Europe, Australia and China and “is renowned for his cross-border coordination skills”.
Michael contributes to, and actively participates in, community organizations and legal associations including AIPPI (International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property), the CBA (Canadian Bar Association), AIPLA (American Intellectual Property Law Association), the LSO (Law Society of Ontario) and IPIC (Intellectual Property Institute of Canada ). He has received accolades from his clients and peers alike in respected publications including IAM Patent 1000, The Legal 500, Best Lawyers in Canada and Martindale-Hubbell which describes him as a “distinguished” practitioner.
Jennifer Ko (Crinson Law LLP) is an intellectual property (IP) lawyer and registered trademark agent with a background in engineering. She leverages her experience gained both in-house and in private practice to represent and provide practical, nuanced advice to clients. Her clients range from multinational corporations to start-ups and individuals. She has advised and represented clients on a wide variety of intellectual property and commercial matters, and has developed and managed global trademark and patent portfolios and strategies with her clients.
She began her law career in private practice at an IP boutique firm in Toronto. She then served as in-house counsel for a decade practising IP and business law at innovative companies in the solar energy industry and in the injection molding industry.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Jennifer completed undergraduate and graduate studies in biomedical and electrical engineering and worked in the telecommunications industry, specifically in the areas of fibre optic communications and telemedicine.