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Spinning out of a University: the Dos and Don’ts of Startups for Academics

February 14 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

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Launching a startup is already a challenging task – but launching a university spinout has special considerations. Luckily, Duke University has a dedicated group to help guide you: the Office for Translation & Commercialization (OTC).

The OTC team has expertise in translating university inventions to the market and also partners with outside law firms on various commercialization processes. Come hear from Stephanie Richards, J.D. (Duke Law ’13) and Sabrina Poulos, J.D., Partners at Goodwin Procter LLP, discuss commonly seen early legal pitfalls in university spinouts and how academic entrepreneurs can avoid them.

Possible topics of conversation include:

  • Starting a company and not having dedicated counsel with relevant experience
  • Not having written employment or consulting contracts
  • Not understanding what appropriate % should be for founders equity, management, future investors, etc.
  • And many more!

Bring your questions and we’ll endeavor to answer them.

This seminar is open to all: students, faculty, staff, and beyond.

Sponsored by: Duke University Office for Translation & Commercialization (OTC).

FREE REGISTRATION HERE

Time

February 14, 2024
11:00AM-12:00PM

Location

This in-person seminar will be conducted at: Bostock Library 127 — The Edge Workshop Room

Food

Light refreshments will be served.

About Stephanie Richards, J.D. (Duke Law ’13)

Stephanie Richards is a partner in Goodwin’s nationally recognized Life Sciences group, counseling public and private companies at all life cycle stages as well as leading venture capital firms and investment banks across the life sciences industry.

Stephanie advises clients on startup and formation matters, venture capital financing, initial public offerings and capital markets transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and other complex transactions. She also represents a number of publicly traded biotechnology companies in ongoing SEC compliance, capital raising, and corporate governance matters. She joined Goodwin in 2018.

About Sabrina Poulos, J.D.

Sabrina Poulos is a partner in Goodwin’s Life Sciences group. She has been a practicing patent attorney for over 15 years. She closely collaborates with executive teams of cutting edge life sciences companies to craft and execute pragmatic, business-focused IP strategies specific to each stage of a company’s life. While primarily focusing on US and ex-US patent strategy and prosecution, Sabrina approaches IP holistically, working with her clients on trade secret protection, licensing, sponsored research agreements, collaboration agreements, Bayh-Dole compliance, optimizing Patent Term Extension, developing company internal IP policies, advising companies on IP issues related to academic founders, and export matters.

Sabrina also represents investors in IP diligence matters and company creation, analyzing IP portfolios and creating pragmatic solutions to optimize the IP portfolio in order to maximize the return on an investment.

Sabrina clients span the breadth of the life sciences, focusing on antibodies, cell-based agriculture, cell-based models, cell therapies, epigenetics, gene therapies, gene editing/engineering, oncolytic viruses, peptide-based therapies, small molecules, and RNA-based therapeutics.

FREE REGISTRATION HERE

Organizer

Duke Office for Translation & Commercialization
View Organizer Website

Venue

Bostock Library Room 127