With over thirty years of experience as a practicing attorney specializing in intellectual property law, Michael Stein has also more recently played the role as an active angel investor and start-up company advisor. As the General Counsel for SWAN Venture Group, a fund for investing in early stage and Series A rounds in the Pacific Northwest, Stein has intimate knowledge into what goes into those early stage investment decisions. He joins Founders Network Seattle Chapter for an in-depth conversation about one of the most crucial concepts for early stage companies to master: the defensive moat. Sign up to attend the Founders Network event to learn answers to key questions including:
At SWAN Ventures, I’m a Partner and serve as General Counsel. I contribute substantially to due diligence and deal flow, and I specialize in intellectual property law.
I am passionate about helping early stage companies with growth, financing, and intellectual property. I have 30 years of experience practicing law, specializing in intellectual property law. Specific areas of national recognition include patenting software inventions in the fields of artificial intelligence and machine learning. My education includes a BSEE from Drexel University (1983); MSE from University of Pennsylvania (1985); and a JD from Temple University School of Law (1990). In addition, I’ve been an active an angel investor and advisor to startup companies for the past 7 years. In the early stage investment arena, I have extensive experience in both leading and participating in due diligence teams. I currently serve on the advisory boards of nine (9) early stage companies.
SWAN Venture Group is a family of funds for investing in early stage Seed and Series A rounds. We are a regional fund targeting our investments in the Pacific Northwest to include the US states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Utah, and the province of British Columbia, Canada.
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