Perkins Coie was a proud sponsor of the 2021 TechCrunch Early Stage Conference which was held virtually April 1-2. Perkins Coie partners Michael Glenn and Matt Oshinsky, alongside Baris Aksoy of AV8 Ventures, presented on the "Creating and Protection IP Value in Connection with VC Financings" on April 1. This panel discussed the questions bulleted below and other questions regarding safeguarding IP rights and maximizing the value of all technology development activities.

• How do venture capital investors value formal Intellectual Property (IP) rights in connection with a decision to fund a technology or life sciences startup?
• How do they conduct IP due diligence?
• How do investors and founders, post-funding, ensure their start-ups are pursuing an IP strategy that optimizes exit valuation for all?