​⚖️ What Every Founder Should Know About IP and Trademarks

​About the Session

​Ideas are easy to copy. Brands move fast. Technology scales globally. Yet many founders only think about Intellectual Property when something breaks, an investor asks hard questions, a copycat appears, or a deal stalls.

​In this Founder Labs session, Ellie Patel will break down what founders actually need to know about IP and trademarks at the early stage. Not legal theory. Practical decisions that protect your brand, your ideas, and your ability to grow.

​This session focuses on helping founders understand where IP fits into building a company, how to avoid the most common and expensive mistakes, and how to think strategically about protection before problems show up.

​Designed for non-lawyers, this is a practical, founder-first conversation. Whether you are pre-revenue, preparing for fundraising, or expanding into new markets, you will leave with clearer priorities and a stronger sense of what to do next.

​What We’ll Talk About

​™️ Trademarks 101: what they protect, what they do not, and why founders misunderstand them
🔍 Trade mark searches: why skipping this step creates risk later
🏷️ Brand protection strategy: how to think beyond just a logo or name
📁 IP ownership and investor readiness: what investors look for during due diligence
🌍 International expansion: how to think about IP when entering new markets
⚠️ Common founder mistakes: copycat brands, domain squatters, late filings, and reactive decisions
🧯 When things go wrong: handling disputes, infringement threats, and takedowns
🧱 Firefighting vs fireproofing: building an IP strategy that supports growth instead of blocking it

​About the Guest

​Ellie Patel is the founder of Re-think Legal and an IP and trademarks specialist who works with growing companies and creative entrepreneurs to protect their brands, ideas, and technology.

​She helps founders navigate trade mark searches, brand and IP strategy, registrations, licensing, SaaS and tech contracts, dispute resolution, and investor due diligence. Her work spans both prevention and problem-solving, laying the groundwork early while also stepping in when things go wrong.

​Ellie is known for translating complex IP and legal concepts into clear, practical guidance for founders. She is also a mentor at HKSTP, where she provides science and technology startups with strategic guidance on Intellectual Property and other legal matters, helping teams future-proof their businesses so legal gaps do not derail growth, fundraising, or expansion at critical moments.

​About entR

​​Entrepreneurship Roundtable (entR) is a private community for women founders and aspiring founders, created for real conversations about building businesses without the pitching or selling. Each session focuses on a single theme, from fundraising and negotiation to scaling and exits.

Founded by Tina Law and Emily Ho, entR was born from a shared desire to create a safe, honest space for women to connect, exchange lessons, and grow alongside one another.

​​Venue Sponsored By

​​Klipy and the Hive

​​​Event Guidelines

​​​Admission: This event is by approval only. Approved guests will receive a confirmation email and calendar invite. Invitations are non-transferable.

​​​Respect and conduct: Attendees must follow all community and venue rules. Respectful and professional behavior is required at all times. Harassment, discrimination, unwelcome advances, intimidation, or inappropriate recording will not be tolerated. If you experience or witness a violation, please notify the event host immediately. Violations may result in removal from the event and exclusion from future invitations.

​​​Community values: No pitching, hard selling, or unsolicited promotion. Respect the privacy and confidentiality of fellow participants.

​​​Safety and liability: Participation is voluntary and at your own risk. Organizers, sponsors, and venues assume no liability for injury, lost or stolen belongings, or damages.

​​​Media: By attending, you consent to being photographed, filmed, or recorded for promotional and marketing purposes.

​​​Communications: By registering, you agree to receive event-related updates. You may unsubscribe at any time.