When Kiera Fogg founded Ribit AI, she wasn’t just setting out to solve a problem—she was reinventing how the automotive industry connects with its customers. With a rich background in marketing and entrepreneurship, Fogg brought her unique perspective into a male-dominated industry to create technology that enhances human connections.
But like many entrepreneurs, she quickly discovered that launching a tech startup meant navigating an entirely new landscape, including the world of intellectual property (IP). That’s where North Forge’s ElevateIP program came in.
From Crystals to Cars: A Journey to Innovation
Before launching Ribit AI, Fogg had already made waves in the entrepreneurial world with Little Box of Rocks, a gift company that gained international acclaim through the likes of People, Vogue, and both Gwenyth Paltrow and Cameron Diaz’s holiday gift guides. But when the pandemic disrupted her business, she pivoted to a new challenge: transforming customer experience in the automotive industry.
Through her role as Vice President of Communications at an automotive marketing company, Fogg saw firsthand the gaps in customer care that cost dealerships both revenue and trust.
“We would see instances where customers would write in, saying things like, ‘Stop texting me. This is not my husband’s phone number. He’s passed away. I’ve told you this several times.’” said Fogg. “I remember seeing that and thinking how awful it would be to be that widow… to keep being reminded of that hurt,"
This inspired her to launch Ribit AI, a platform designed to ensure every customer inquiry is addressed with care, using intuitive AI to create meaningful interactions.
The Role of ElevateIP in Ribit AI’s Success
Like many startups, Ribit AI faced challenges with limited resources. Intellectual property was crucial to Ribit AI’s long-term success, but creating an IP strategy on a bootstrap budget was a daunting task. ElevateIP provided the lifeline Fogg needed.
“The biggest problem was not being able to prioritize [an intellectual property plan] from a budgeting perspective, even just very simple things like employee contracts,” said Fogg.
With ElevateIP, Fogg gained access to funded legal expertise that helped Ribit AI tighten its IP protections.
“We were using LawDepot, for example, to create our employee agreements, vendor agreements… so having a legal team funded take a look at our contracts and make sure that all of the clauses were appropriate and protected us was really helpful,” she said.
Building a Strong Foundation for IP
While other businesses have used ElevateIP to secure patents, trademarks and trade secrets, Fogg used the program to provide a comprehensive assessment of Ribit AI’s intellectual property, helping her identify what aspects of her business could—and could not—be protected. This included drafting robust non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and refining partnership agreements to safeguard Ribit AI’s innovations.
“Say we’re showing a dealer group our software and providing a demo—ElevateIP allowed us to draft an NDA, and have our employee contracts reviewed to make things airtight for us,” Fogg said. “The program ensures any kind of contract protects our IP, and I’m definitely grateful for it.”
Elevating Entrepreneurs
For Fogg, the support from ElevateIP and North Forge was transformational. Beyond the technical tools and resources, the program empowered her as an entrepreneur in a challenging industry.
“Having that education provided was a great resource,” said Fogg. “It’s really been great to work with North Forge. Everyone has been super helpful, and provided us with resources we wouldn’t have been able to prioritize through our own efforts as a bootstrapped company. The program elevated us, quite literally, in our ability to protect ourselves.”
Thanks to the strong foundation built through North Forge and ElevateIP, Ribit AI is poised to revolutionize the automotive industry’s approach to customer care, proving that with the right tools and support, innovation can thrive.
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