Intellectual property (IP) is the foundation of most early-stage technology companies, yet IP is among the most common sources of downstream disputes, value erosion, and transactional friction. This session provides lawyers with a practical, practice-oriented overview of the IP considerations that frequently arise when advising startups and growth-stage clients.

Drawing on their combined practices in IP and commercial transactions, Danika Kotylak and Dane Smith, review key IP concepts relevant to emerging companies, including ownership pitfalls, protection strategies, assignment and licensing structures, and the internal processes required to preserve and document IP rights. They examine how these issues manifest in commercial and technology contracts.

Gain a deeper understanding of how IP strategy interacts with corporate structuring, financing, and commercialization, and how to draft and negotiate contractual terms that mitigate risk, preserve value, and support long-term growth.

About the Speakers

Danika Kotylak is a corporate commercial lawyer at Fasken. She advises startups, emerging growth companies, and investors across Canada’s venture tech ecosystem, and her work spans venture deals, SaaS and licensing agreements, M&A, and day-to-day commercial contracting. Danika supports clients throughout their business lifecycle, from formation through to fundraising, commercial scaling, and eventual exit, offering strategic legal advice on corporate structuring, venture financing, technology commercialization, and IP protection.

Dane Smith is an Intellectual Property (IP) lawyer licensed in BC and Ontario, and a registered patent agent. He regularly manages sophisticated, global IP portfolios and guides clients through often-complex systems across jurisdictions to secure valuable patents and industrial designs for a broad range of technologies, with particular emphasis on mechanical, industrial, and high-tech innovations. Dane helps clients to achieve success by developing IP strategies aligned with their business goals, and by supporting commercialization through IP due diligence, assignments, and licensing.