Mayin Connects

IP & You

April 2026 | Bombay Chambers of Commerce, Mumbai

What does it mean to actually own an idea?

Ideas are often seen as moments of inspiration. Their real value, however, lies in how they are shaped and translated into something enduring.

This edition of Mayin Connect brought together diverse perspectives to explore how #IntellectualProperty moves beyond definitions into the realm of strategy, ownership and value creation.

The keynote by Prof. Dr. Nayan Rawal and Dr V Shankar framed IP as a strategic lens—one that begins with identifying what truly qualifies as intellectual property and extends to what can be protected, leveraged and scaled.

At the centre of this discussion were three critical enablers— landscaping, valuation and culture.It begins with visibility. Organisations often sit on valuable intellectual assets that remain unrecognised. IP landscaping helps uncover these—across products, processes, and designs—creating clarity on what exists. This is followed by valuation—understanding not just what IP is worth, but how it can support licensing, funding and stronger negotiation positions. But for any of this to sustain, it must be embedded as a way of thinking—a culture that enables building scalable solution with clear intent.

The panel discussion, moderated by Sanjivani Patil, with Chetan Maheshwari, Rajan Raje, Neetu Kashiramka and Michael Fisahn-Reinhard, brought these ideas into practice through lived experiences across domains. The conversation explored IP as a strategic lever—shaping how organisations approach innovation, strengthening negotiation and investment positions and enabling scale.

A broader reflection emerged on the current landscape—particularly for MSMEs—where IP is still often approached as a one-time activity rather than a structured capability. Bridging this gap requires more than awareness; it calls for a shift in mindset towards lateral thinking, and towards sustaining the inertia required for continuous innovation. It also highlighted how investors increasingly evaluate IP—not only as standalone assets, but in how they strengthen positioning, credibility and long-term value.

Perhaps the real question is how we leverage our solutioning capabilities to create scalable value, strengthen market positioning and enhance business growth and valuation.