Bao describes his path from being a lawyer at Fish & Richardson to going in-house at Align (Invisalign) through its 2000 IPO, then leaving to work with startups and ultimately focusing on helping founders with funding, business strategy, and IP. He discusses CIS Bay/Sisbay, an AgTech microbial product that improves plant yields by helping roots and nutrient absorption, gaining added relevance when fertilizer costs spiked after the Russia-Ukraine war; because the business expanded from California to Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Southeast Asia, global brand protection was necessary. Bao explains how patents and trademarks help create exclusivity and investor confidence, especially in AI where copying is faster, and adds trade secrets as another key protection for model training and data. He argues AI should be a co-pilot guided by experts, noting it enables much deeper patent disclosures and stronger long-term continuation strategies, and he frames patents for founders as valuable assets with strong ROI. The episode also highlights Trademarkia’s scale and accessibility, and Bao shares PatentPC’s

contact details (patentpc.com, 669-232-3440).00:00 Meet Bao and Background00:09 From Big Law to Startups01:15 Mic Troubles Quick Reset02:01 Why Startups Are More Fun03:09 Sisbay AgTech Explained04:36 Global Branding and Expansion05:12 IP Moats for Investors06:15 AI Changes IP Strategy07:02 Why Not Rely on AI Alone08:20 AI Streamlines Patent Drafting09:32 Advice for Founder Inventors11:20 What’s Next and AI Enforcement12:30 Trademarkia Overview13:19 Patent PC and Closing14:11 Where to Find Bao