<h1>Legal checklist for startup pitch events: IP, confidentiality, investment terms, securities compliance, vendor contracts, waivers, data privacy, publicity consents</h1> A management institute and its incubation arm hosted a startup pitch event, supported by a corporate partner, where more than 20 early-stage ventures pitched to a panel of investors and mentors across sectors. From a legal perspective, the gathering primarily raises commercial-transaction and intellectual-property considerations: confidentiality and IP ownership of pitched ideas, terms of any follow-on investment, compliance with securities and fundraising laws, and vendor/sponsor contractual obligations. Organizers should also ensure participant liability waivers, data-protection compliance for shared materials, and clear publicity consents for press releases.