Speaker 04.30.26
04.30
Future of Deep Tech Investing in the Age of AI
5:30PM - 8:30PM PDT
George Willman practices in the areas of technology transactions and intellectual property counseling.
George represents Silicon Valley and other technology clients in a variety of technology and intellectual property transactions. George is a registered patent attorney and has assisted clients in obtaining patents in addition to counseling on infringement avoidance, strategic patenting, and developing U.S. and international patent portfolios.
Prior to his legal career, George worked as a software and telecommunications engineer for ROLM, IBM and Siemens.
Representative Experience
- Product, software and technology development agreements including complex intellectual property development, ownership and licensing provisions.
- Development agreements including joint development agreements and joint venture agreements.
- Purchase, supply and manufacturing agreements for complex technology products and related services, including semiconductors, electronics, communications/IT, software and other advanced products.
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- Intellectual property, patent and technology sale and purchase agreements.
- In- and out-licenses including software licenses, Software as a Service (SaaS) agreements, patent licenses, technology and product licenses, Internet service terms and licenses, data and information sharing and license agreements and trade secret licenses.
- Intellectual property and license agreements and provisions in connection with mergers and acquisitions.
Professional Highlights
Honors & Awards
- Raymond E. Miles Alumni Service Award
UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business - Richard H. Holton Teaching Fellow Award
University of California, Berkeley, Lester Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation - The Legal 500 U.S., Technology Transactions (2015)
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- Associations
- Berkeley Angel Network, Founder
- Berkeley-Haas Entrepreneurship Program, Mentor
- Speaking Engagements
- “VC & Angel Funding in an AI-First Market (Berkeley Angel Network and Berkeley Haas - Silicon Valley Chapter)” (introduction), Pillsbury, Palo Alto, March 16, 2026.
- Executive MBA Seminar (panelist), UnternehmerTUM (Technical University of Munich), UC Berkeley, August 1, 2025.
- “Future of Silicon Valley Investing: Navigating the New Landscape” Seminar (moderator), Pillsbury, Palo Alto, May 22, 2025.
- “Technology Collaboration & Strategic Alliance Agreements,” Guest Lecture, Management of Technology Innovation, Industrial Engineering 290, UC Berkeley, April 5, 2019.
- Executive MBA Seminar (pitch judge), UnternehmerTUM (Technical University of Munich), UC Berkeley, August 30, 2019, August 31, 2018 & September 1, 2017.
- “Top Opportunities and Risks in Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies” (moderator), Berkeley-Haas Silicon Valley Chapter, Palo Alto, November 11, 2017.
- “Intellectual Property in Silicon Valley,” Innovation Center Denmark, Palo Alto, November 7, 2017.
- “Driverless Cars: An Innovation Series event” (moderator), London Business School in conjunction with Haas School of Business, Palo Alto, March 2, 2017.
- “Angel Investor Academy: Structuring Financings” (moderator), Berkeley Angel Network, San Francisco, February 23, 2017, Palo Alto, March 7, 2017.
- “Artificial Intelligence Startup PitchForce” Seminar, PitchForce, August 25, 2016.
- “Intellectual Property, Agreements and Financing” Seminar, UnternehmerTUM (Technical University of Munich) Executive MBA Seminar, UC Berkeley, August 1, 2016.
- “Automated Future: Human + Technology” Seminar, November 12, 2015.
- “Raising Seed/Angel Money for Early Stage Startups” Berkeley Post-Doctoral Entrepreneur Program, UC Berkeley, October 29, 2015.
- “Optimizing Your Exit” Seminar, June 10, 2015.
- “University Alumni Angel Investing” Seminar, German Startup Association Tour, June 2, 2015.
- “Early Stage Funding: 2014 Year in Review and Latest Funding Trends (SAFE, Series Seed, KISS…)” Seminar, Palo Alto, October 22, 2014.
- “Early Stage Funding: 2014 Year in Review and Latest Funding Trends (SAFE, Series Seed, KISS…)” Seminar, San Francisco, October 21, 2014.
- “Anatomy of a Technology Collaboration and Partnerships” Seminar, 3rd Annual Institute for Advanced Corporate Counsel (iACC) Conference, April 10, 2014.
- “Common Mistakes for a Tech Company Doing Business Abroad and How to Avoid Them” CLE/CPD Seminar, Association of Corporate Counsel March CLE Programs, Palo Alto and San Francisco, March 18-19, 2014.
- “Hardware and Semiconductor Licensing” Seminar, University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business and College of Engineering, March 2011.
- “Protecting and Commercializing the IP of Startups: A U.S. Perspective” Seminar, EBAN Winter University, November 2010.
- “Transfer of Technology—Difficult Issues in Licensing” Seminar, International Bar Association Conference, October 2010.
Education
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J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1996
cum laudeM.B.A., University of California, Berkeley, 1993
Beta Gamma SigmaB.S., Computer Systems Engineering, Stanford University, 1989
Admissions
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California
Texas
District of Columbia
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Courts
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U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Languages
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French
German