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Team

At FIN IP Group, our team of specialists brings forth custom-tailored and industry-leading approaches to intellectual property financial services. With a fusion of extensive licensing experience, a thorough understanding of applied finance theory, and technical expertise, we consistently deliver superior results for our clients.

Deep expertise in
finance
Passion for
intellectual property
Business
background
Experience in meeting client needs and exceeding expectations

Have A Project In Mind?

There isn’t anything we can’t do when it comes to IP Finance and IP Valuation. If you have a concept or problem that needs solving we can put together the patent analysis.

Derek de Laat

President of FIN IP Group
Derek de Laat, President of FIN IP Group, brings over 15 years of experience in pioneering credible and advanced financial services in the IP market. He has successfully structured numerous IP transactions, developed industry-leading financial models, and played a key role in major IP licensing deals across various technology sectors. Mr. de Laat’s achievements include creating over five hundred patent acquisition models, facilitating deals surpassing $2 billion, and assisting in raising patent portfolio and litigation financing exceeding $200 million.

Consistently recognized for his expertise, Mr. de Laat has been selected as one of the world’s leading 300 IP strategists (IAM300) for five consecutive years (2019-2023). This exclusive group is at the forefront of developing and implementing strategies that maximize the value of IP portfolios. In addition, Mr. de Laat has been selected as an IAM Global Leader for 2024.
Prior to founding FIN IP Group, Mr. de Laat served as Vice President of IP Investments & Valuation at WiLAN, a distinguished patent licensing company. In this role, he oversaw the financial intricacies of licensing and acquisitions. Earlier in his career, he played pivotal roles at BlackBerry and Rockstar Consortium, contributing significantly to the monetization and licensing of their patent portfolios.

Mr. de Laat holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Erasmus University (Rotterdam School of Management), an MBA in Finance from Carleton University (Sprott School of Business), and holds designations as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Licensing Professional (CLP) and a Certified Patent Valuation Analyst (CPVA). Additionally, he has contributed to academia by teaching Business Decision Modeling and Valuation part-time at Carleton University.

Julian Cupillari

Senior Director

Julian Cupillari, Senior Director at FIN IP Group, has been an integral part of the company since its inception. With a profound dedication to serving our clients, Mr. Cupillari excels in financial modeling and is an expert in developing royalty rates for intellectual property.

With nearly a decade of experience in financial modeling and analysis, Mr. Cupillari has crafted intricate financial models for international organizations spanning sectors such as hospitality, education, technology, and healthcare. In 2016, he played a pivotal role in the US$3 billion acquisition of FRHI Hotels & Resorts by AccorHotels. In 2019, he earned the Advanced Financial Modeler (AFM) accreditation, attesting to his exceptional proficiency.

Before joining FIN IP Group, Mr. Cupillari held the position of Director of Business Development at the Financial Modeling Institute (FMI). Here, he spearheaded the Business Development team, providing strategic counsel and overseeing the development of new offerings. He forged and nurtured partnerships with esteemed universities, Business Schools, professional accreditation organizations, trainers, and corporate teams.

Mr. Cupillari holds an Honours in Business Administration from Western University (Richard Ivey School of Business) and a Masters in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Queen’s University (Smith School of Business). He is also a Certified Patent Valuation Analyst (CPVA), underlining his expertise in the field.

ALLISHA LIN

Senior Financial Analyst
Allisha Lin, serving as a Senior Financial Analyst at FIN IP Group, exemplifies a profound passion, expertise, and unwavering dedication to the world of finance and data analysis. Her primary focus lies in conducting in-depth royalty rate analysis, precise valuations, and sophisticated financial modeling.

Before joining FIN IP Group, Allisha excelled in her role as a Data Analyst at Employment and Social Development Canada, showcasing her innate ability to translate data into actionable insights.Her work revolved around crafting robust data analyses and models, complemented by the creation of streamlined data visualizations and dashboards.

Allisha’s intuitive understanding of intricate financial concepts and their pragmatic applications underscores her exceptional acumen.
Allisha holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a specialization in Finance from Carleton University (Sprott School of Business).

Deepro Sengupta

Senior Financial Analyst

Deepro Sengupta, Senior Financial Analyst at FIN IP Group, specializes in financial modeling along with research and data analytics. Deepro is also a Python programmer with deep knowledge of data science and machine learning.

Prior to joining FIN IP Group, Deepro contributed his skills to various government and private organizations. He has served as a Research Assistant on West Bengal Accelerated Development of Minor Irrigation Project (World Bank) and A.K Dasgupta Centre for Development & Planning where he leveraged his skills in data science to build sophisticated predictive models as well as make informative data visualizations. He has also worked as a Business Analyst at Tata Asset Management Limited collaborating closely with fund managers to build macro-economic models and back-testing investment strategies to analyze their effectiveness and for fine-tuning.

Deepro holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in Economics from Visva Bharati University, a Master of Economics from Visva Bharati University, and an MBA in Business Analytics from Carleton University (Sprott School of Business).

Michael Gagnon

Financial Analyst

Michael Gagnon, Financial Analyst at FIN IP Group, specializes in financial modeling, financial due diligence, and market research. Additionally, Michael is passionate about measuring the influence of macroeconomic factors on the financial markets.

Prior to joining FIN IP Group, Michael held several positions in the financial sector, primarily in investment banking, risk management, and corporate development. Most recently, Michael served as an Investment Banking Analyst with SCP Resource Finance, assisting the deal team to facilitate the execution of both M&A and ECM transactions for middle market mining companies. Michael also served as an Investment Banking Analyst with Sampford Advisors, participating in the procurement, execution, and due diligence of M&A transactions for lower middle market technology companies.

Michael holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a specialization in finance from Carleton University (Sprott School of Business).

DANIEL CHEUNG

Financial Analyst
Daniel Cheung, a dedicated Financial Analyst at FIN IP Group, specializes in constructing intricate financial models and conducting comprehensive financial and market research. Additionally, Daniel’s exceptional skills extend to statistics and data science.

His journey in finance began early, creating portfolio trackers in high school and developing algorithmic trading systems during his early university years. This hands-on experience, coupled with countless hours delving into financial markets, has furnished him with a profound understanding of finance theory, due diligence, and valuation.Notably, Daniel holds the esteemed role of Portfolio Manager at the Sprott Student Investment Fund, where he adeptly oversees $2 million in real assets.

This position showcases his strong leadership skills and his ability to effectively address the diverse needs of stakeholders.
Currently, Daniel is working towards completing his bachelor’s degree in commerce with a finance concentration from Carleton University (Sprott School of Business).

ETHAN HENNIGAR

Financial Analyst
Ethan Hennigar, a valued Financial Analyst at FIN IP Group, specializes in market research and due diligence, lending meticulous attention to detail to enhance project outcomes. His expertise extends to conducting extensive research within the intellectual property landscape, with a particular focus on Standard Essential Patents (SEPs). Additionally, he contributes significantly to financial modeling and conducts thorough company-level financial analyses.

Within the Sprott School of Business, Ethan assumes the role of a Sector Manager on the investment fund, where he leverages his skills to strategically invest $2 million in real assets for maximum return on investment.

His proficiency in various financial modeling techniques translates into the creation of comprehensive valuation models for our clients.
Moreover, Ethan serves as a Teaching Assistant at Carleton University, applying his competence in data analysis to guide first-year students in acquiring new techniques.

Currently, Ethan is pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a double major in Accounting and Finance at Carleton University (Sprott School of Business).