December 10, 2026
Location
Carver Biomedical Research Building – Kelch Conference Room (Room 1289)
285 Newton Road Iowa City, IA 52246
About the Event:
Wilson Sonsini, one of the nation’s leading legal advisers to technology, life sciences and growth companies, returns to the University of Iowa for a day of conversations about moving innovation from discovery to market.
Choose from three interactive sessions focused on:
- Intellectual property
- Business formation and venture capital
- Regulatory strategy
Each session combines insights from Wilson Sonsini attorneys with perspectives from University of Iowa and industry leaders, followed by small-group discussions where participants can explore questions relevant to their own work. Attend one, two or all three sessions — each is FREE and open to registered participants.
Agenda
Choose the sessions that matter to you.
Attend one or more sessions based on the topics that best align with your interests, questions and goals. All sessions are free to attend.
9:00 – 10:30 a.m. | Business Formation & Venture Capital
Explore what it takes to turn a promising idea into a fundable company. This session will cover when to consider forming a startup, what investors look for in early-stage ventures, and key decisions around financing, ownership and company structure.
Session Speakers
- Matthew Meyer | Chief Business Advisor, Life Sciences Business Advisory, Wilson Sonsini
- Philip Oettinger | Partner, Corporate, Wilson Sonsini
- Bill Willis | Founder and Managing Director, Key Harbor Group
12:30 – 2:00 p.m. | Intellectual Property
Learn how a thoughtful intellectual property strategy can help protect discoveries and create value as they move toward the marketplace. This session will explore key considerations around patents and licensing, including how decisions made throughout the research and commercialization process can affect future opportunities.
Session Speakers
- Sara Patak | Partner, Patents and Innovations, Wilson Sonsini
- Alex Key | Partner, Technology Transactions, Wilson Sonsini
- Leslie Williams | President & CEO, DeCapo Brainscience
- Marie Kerbeshian | Assistant Vice President and Executive Director, University of Iowa Research Foundation
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. | Regulatory Strategy
Explore how regulatory strategy can shape the path from innovation to market, particularly for life sciences and health-related technologies. This session will examine how regulatory considerations can influence product development, timelines, investment decisions and commercialization strategy.
Session Speakers
- Eva Yin | Partner, Regulatory, Wilson Sonsini
- Leslie Williams | President & CEO, DeCapo Brainscience
About Wilson Sonsini
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Featured Speakers
Philip Oettinger
Alex Key
Eva Yin
Sara Patak
Matthew Meyer
Bill Willis
Leslie Williams
