WIPO to advise on using IP to raise finance

Investment opportunity

The World Intellectual Property Organisation is holding an open meeting on the use of intellectual property (IP) assets to raise finance at its Geneva headquarters on March 10, 2009.  

WIPO says the ability to use IP assets -copyright, patents, trademarks, designs - as collateral, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises which depend on know-how and IP assets to bolster company value, is of growing importance. Using untapped intangible assets to secure finance is all the more crucial in the current economic environment.

Global commerce in IP assets has expanded in recent years across a range of industries. While intangible assets are estimated to account for the bulk of corporate value, the financial potential of IP assets is far from being fully realised. This is largely because financial accounting systems are primarily tailored to reporting on tangible assets.

The growth of IP financing will hinge on legal and regulatory support, the awareness of the banking industry and sophistication of capital markets. WIPO says unleashing the potential of IP financing offers an opportunity to boost business growth, innovation and creativity.

The meeting in Geneva aims to raise awareness within the intellectual property community, including creators and rights holders, as well as the wider financial services community, of the opportunities and challenges of IP financing. It will examine current practices in different countries and different industries, including in the copyright, patent and trademark fields and highlight the ways in which improvements in law and financing practices may assist right holders in maximizing the value of their IP assets.

http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/2009/ip_fin_ge_09/