Women, Innovation & IP: The Strategic Edge Behind Their Succes

Geetha is a visionary CEO and Board Director with expertise in intellectual property and franchise law. She has transformed KASS International into a regional powerhouse, driven strategic growth, diversified services, empowered leadership teams, and is a highly sought-after international speaker on IP strategy and expansion.

In an attractive conversation with the Global Woman Leader Magazine, Geetha shares how women entrepreneurs use intellectual property to build credibility, navigate ASEAN’s cross-border challenges, and scale through licensing and franchising. She also highlights KASS’s initiatives empowering women in IP roles and offers practical strategies for sustainable growth.

In your experience leading KASS, how have you seen women entrepreneurs use trademarks or copyrights to elevate their brand presence?

By securing distinct brand identities through trademarks and protecting creative assets like product designs and digital content through copyright, women gain credibility and consumer trust. For example, a female-led engineering consultancy we worked with built a strong brand using a registered trademark, which helped them secure regional contracts. In such industries, intellectual property serves not just as protection, but as a tool of empowerment, enabling women to confidently showcase their innovations and claim their space at the table.

Could you share how KASS has helped women-led businesses navigate cross-border IP challenges, especially in ASEAN’s legal landscape? What can others learn from this?

KASS has supported many women-led businesses in expanding across ASEAN, a region with varied IP laws and enforcement standards. One notable case involved a Malaysian skincare brand founded by a female entrepreneur expanding to Vietnam and Thailand. We helped them secure trademark protection in local languages, advised on regulatory compliance, and responded to infringement swiftly.

The key takeaway for others is that early regional planning is crucial, assuming protection in one country applies elsewhere is a costly mistake. These experiences highlight that women-led businesses can thrive internationally when they treat IP not as an afterthought, but as a strategic asset aligned with their growth goals.

With digital platforms enabling rapid scaling, what are some critical IP missteps you’ve seen women founders make, and how can they avoid those pitfalls early in their journey?

In the digital age, one of the most common missteps I see with all founders regardless of their gender make, is launching brands or products online without first securing their IP rights. Some assume that a domain name or social media handle is enough, only to later face copycats or be blocked from trademarking their brand due to prior filings. Others use unlicensed content unknowingly, exposing themselves to copyright claims. These pitfalls are avoidable with early consultation with IP experts. Women founders should view IP as foundational, not optional, when building scalable businesses.

Can you share an example where a female client or team member used licensing or franchising to scale innovatively? What strategies made that model successful across markets?

One notable example is a female client who transformed her educational business into a thriving franchise across Malaysia. We supported her from the ground up, first by securing trademark registrations in her target markets, drafting licensing agreements, and later transitioning to franchising agreements. We also ensured her modules and training materials were fully protected under copyright.

Her programs, led by an award-winning public speaking champion and coach, focus on helping children develop strong communication and presentation skills. Through franchising, she expanded her presence nationwide, empowering educators to inspire the next generation of confident speakers.

Her success came from maintaining clear brand consistency, enforcing strict quality control, and adapting her marketing to each local market all anchored by a robust IP strategy. By adopting the franchising model, she scaled without diluting her brand, while also creating meaningful opportunities for other women in education. Her journey is a testament to how licensing and franchising, when reinforced by strong IP protection, can be powerful tools for women to achieve innovative and sustainable regional growth.

Have you made any strategic decisions within the company to encourage more women engage in IP-focused roles? What outcomes have emerged from that?

At KASS, we’ve intentionally created pathways for women to enter and grow in IP-centric roles. From recruitment to mentorship, we ensure that women especially in legal, technical, and strategic advisory positions are given equal opportunities and visibility.

We’ve seen remarkable results: women now make up a significant portion of our leadership team, and many have become thought leaders and international speakers. We also invest in continuous training to help them understand both local and global IP trends. These efforts have fostered a more inclusive, innovative workplace culture, and inspired many of our clients to adopt similar gender-forward practices in their own firms.

LAST WORD: Advice for Aspiring Women Leaders in IP Strategy

My advice to aspiring women leaders is this: treat your intellectual property as seriously as your business plan. IP is not just about protection; it’s about ownership, leverage, and longevity. Whether it’s your brand name, content, product design, or invention, secure it early, manage it proactively, and integrate it into your growth strategy. Too often, I’ve seen brilliant ideas falter due to lack of foresight in IP matters. Build a circle of trusted advisors, learn the basics of IP, and stay informed. Long-term value lies in your ability to control, license, and evolve your creations while maintaining your original vision and integrity.