Report launched into UK’s IP-backed finance landscape

Summary:

A new report launched by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) highlights the potential of IP-backed finance for UK businesses. The report finds that the UK meets the essential conditions for IP-backed finance to work at scale, with a strong IP regime, a pool of innovative firms, and a vibrant financial sector. However, there are still challenges to overcome, including low levels of awareness among financiers and industry, a lack of secondary markets for IP assets, and limited visibility of IP in business reporting.

The report notes positive developments, such as new IP-backed loan products launched by NatWest and HSBC UK, and the establishment of an advisory working group to drive action on IP-backed finance. The UK Government has also announced plans to raise the profile of IP financing and identify avenues to improve investment into IP-intensive firms.

Overall, the report suggests that IP-backed finance has the potential to unlock new paths for enterprises to grow, but further work is needed to move it from the margins to the mainstream.