Expert Session #31: Turning IP Strategy into Advantage

​In this session, we will explore how intellectual property (IP) functions not just as legal protection, but as a strategic business asset for life science & healthcare startups. Learn a how well‑crafted IP strategy (involving various rights, including patents, trade secrets, trademarks, and designs) secures market advantage, enables licensing and revenue opportunities, and strengthens your fundraising narrative. You will leave with a clear, practical framework for prioritizing IP early, clearly communicating how IP aligns with business milestones, avoiding common pitfalls, and building an overall strategy that drives company value.

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​About the speaker:

​Boris is a patent attorney and partner at Hoffmann Eitle in Munich, where he advises life science and healthcare clients on strategic IP matters across the full innovation lifecycle. His practice spans patent and IP portfolio design, Freedom‑to‑Operate analyses, worldwide patent prosecution, European opposition and post-grant litigation proceedings, licensing and IP transactions, and related strategic counseling. Boris has a background in chemistry and biochemistry from LMU Munich and ETH Zurich, and prior industry experience in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. He works at the intersection of science, business, and IP strategy, helping founders and companies turn innovation into sustainable competitive advantage.