This introductory intellectual property (IP) session is designed for food and beverage startups and scaleups seeking to protect their innovations, build strong brands, and support business growth. Participants will explore the key forms of IP—including trademarks, copyrights, patents, industrial designs, and trade secrets—and learn how strategic IP protection can strengthen brand recognition, attract investment, support commercialization, and create competitive advantage. Through practical examples provided by both Nina and Ric with his work with CPG companies, attendees will discover how to develop distinctive, protectable trademarks, avoid common IP pitfalls, and identify opportunities to protect their recipes, packaging, technology, and other valuable business assets. The session will provide actionable insights to help businesses develop an effective IP strategy and maximize the value of their innovations, with the opportunity to book a complimentary 30-minute follow-up session with each presenter.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to identify the key forms of intellectual property relevant to their business, understand the importance of protecting IP from the outset, and recognize how a well-developed IP strategy can support long-term growth. Attendees will also learn the fundamentals of trademark protection, including how trademarks help build brand recognition and customer trust, what makes a trademark strong and registrable, and how to select marks that are distinctive, enforceable, and capable of scaling with the business. Participants will leave with practical tools to assess their own IP assets, spot potential risks, and take meaningful first steps toward protecting and maximizing the value of their innovations and brands.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the main types of intellectual property.

• Recognize the business value of intellectual property protection and IP strategy.

• Learn the fundamentals of trademark protection and brand development.

• Identify the characteristics of strong, distinctive trademarks and common trademark pitfalls.

• Understand the first steps startups can take to protect and leverage their IP assets.

Key Outcomes

• Increased confidence in identifying and protecting valuable IP assets.

• Improved understanding of how IP can support growth, investment, and commercialization.

• Ability to evaluate whether a proposed brand name is likely to be strong and protectable.

• Greater awareness of IP risks and opportunities.

• Practical knowledge that can be immediately applied to branding, product development, and business planning.

Participants will also be invited to book a 30 complimentary session with each of the presenters following the presentation if they have further questions.