Slovenia runs international workshop on intellectual property valuation; reviews pilot projects on knowledge transfer and IP-backed finance

Photo by Eugene Kuznetsov on Unsplash

The Slovenian Intellectual Property Office (SIPO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) have jointly organised a conference in Slovenian capital Ljubljana to discuss the possibilities and the practicalities behind IP valuation and the use of IP as collateral to obtain financing - especially for small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) that often face limited access to capital.

The conference started yesterday and concludes today.

It is the first workshop of its kind in Slovenia and one of the first in the region, bringing together local and international experts. Participants include representatives from technology transfer offices, the Slovenian national start‑up consortium, and various organisations within the country’s innovation support ecosystem, along with representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, and the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport.

In his opening remarks, State Secretary Dejan Židan said: “Slovenia recognises the importance of intellectual property in the modern economy. We have adopted a national strategy, defined the necessary activities with an action plan, and are now taking the first implementation steps.”

SIPO Director Karin Žvokelj added: “Our objective is to create an environment where intellectual property is acknowledged and properly valued as an asset that can serve as collateral for loans and as a basis for investment. We believe that Slovenia can become a model of good practice within the European sphere.”

And Allison Mages, Head of the IP Commercialization Section at WIPO, noted: “Today, intellectual property rights and related intangible assets are often the most valuable components of modern business models, yet their use for financing remains in its infancy in most parts of the world. Through this workshop, we aim to strengthen the foundations in Slovenia for consistent, credible, and professional valuation of these assets, which is crucial for developing IP‑based financing.”

The workshop is anchored in Slovenia’s National Intellectual Property Strategy 2030, which sees SIPO setting objectives and measures on IP valuation and financing. Over the past two years, key stakeholder connections have been established and two pilot projects have started - one to transfer knowledge and test valuation methods, the other to explore possibilities for establishing a dedicated credit line for businesses.

Key points SIPO makes to support the need for action on IP-backed finance and IP valuation include:

• According to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), companies that actively use IP generate 47 % of EU GDP and 39 % of total employment, and they also record higher added value.

• WIPO estimates that the value of intangible assets exceeds €80 trillion, which accounts for more than half of global corporate assets.

• The European Commission, in its recent Single Market Strategy, highlighted that effective use of IP rights is key to enabling SMEs’ access to financing and to boosting investment in intangible assets, and it announced measures for IP valuation and commercialization.