Adler Pollock & Sheehan P.C. is pleased to sponsor Rhode Island Startup Week 2026, a weeklong celebration of entrepreneurship, innovation, and the growing startup community across Rhode Island. As part of the firm’s sponsorship, Daniel J. Holmander, Shareholder, will participate in two programs focused on the legal and business considerations facing founders and emerging companies.
On Monday, September 21 at 2:30 p.m. at the CIC Building, Holmander will present “AI Is Coming for Your Moat: What Investors and Founders Need to Know About Defensible Enterprise Value.” The 60-minute session will examine how artificial intelligence is changing the concept of defensibility and what startups and investors can do to build durable enterprise value. Topics will include technology ownership, software and data rights, trade secrets, patents, trademarks, contracts, commercialization strategy, and exit readiness.
Holmander will also serve as a panelist during “From Idea to Product” on Wednesday, September 23 at 2:15 p.m. at CIC Building 1. The panel will bring together leaders from the technology, R&D, HR, medtech, and marketing sectors to discuss the journey from an initial idea to a market-ready product. Panelists include Holmander; Dr. Christopher “Mango” Laine of Just.Coop; Greg Antonelli, District Manager of Inspirity HR Solutions; David Banks, Director at MedTech Innovations; and the founder of Greenwood Marketing Collective. The discussion will be moderated by Brian Morley.
“Rhode Island Startup Week provides an excellent opportunity to connect founders, investors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders and to share ideas that can help strengthen Rhode Island’s innovation economy,” said Holmander. “I’m looking forward to discussing how companies can protect what they build while positioning themselves for long-term growth and value.”
AP&S is proud to support Rhode Island’s entrepreneurial community and to provide legal guidance to businesses navigating the opportunities and challenges of innovation, technology, intellectual property, and growth.