Events, Sponsored Event

StartupCincy Week 2026

October 5, 2026 – October 8, 2026Cincinnati, OH

FBT Gibbons is a presenting sponsor of StartupCincy Week 2026. The four-day event brings together 100+ panels, workshops, and keynotes for investors and founders, small business owners, startup founders and teams, students and universities, corporate partners, and innovation ecosystems.

FBT Gibbons Partner Vance VanDrake is presenting a session, titled “AI & IP: What You Own, What You Don’t, and What Could Blow Up in Your Face” on October 6. This presentation explains what is and isn’t patentable in the AI era, including the evolving landscape of software patents, the limits of protecting AI-generated output as intellectual property, and strategies for structuring workflows to preserve ownership where possible. It also covers the risks of sharing trade secrets, customer data, and other sensitive information with LLMs, providing a practical framework for maximizing IP protection, avoiding common legal pitfalls, and making cost-effective decisions about safeguards that will stand up over time.

FBT Gibbons Partner Mason Clutter is presenting a session, titled “Responsible AI: Simple Steps for Privacy, Security, and Governance Actionable Best Practices for Startups” on October 6. In this practical presentation, participants will discover easy-to-adopt strategies for AI governance, privacy, and security tailored specifically for startups with limited resources. Industry experts will provide clear, easy to implement guidance and real-world examples to help founders ensure compliance and build trustworthy, marketable AI products.

Additionally, FBT Gibbons Partner Zach Bahorik and Managing Associate Megan Dollenmeyer are presenting a session, titled “Adding New Friends – Understanding Equity Awards for Co-founders, Employees, and Advisors” on October 6. This presentation will explain how equity issuances to co-founders, early employees and service providers and advisors works, as well as some tangible data-driven advice about what the market standard is for how that happens, including an explanation of different vehicles (RSA’s, Stock Options, etc.)

For the full conference agenda, session descriptions, speakers, and schedule visit StartupCincy Week.