Unlocking the Power of Intellectual Property - Insights from Neil Bellamy, head of technology, media, and telecoms at NatWest

Image credit: NatWest Group

Leveraging the value of intellectual property (IP) as collateral for bank lending can be a game-changer for IP-rich UK growth businesses looking to get finance via bank lending, who otherwise might be forced to opt for equity funding, with the loss of control that can involve. 

In a recent Inngot IP Goldmine podcast episode (see below), Neil Bellamy, the head of TMT for NatWest Group, discussed the bank's innovative approach to IP financing and its significance for the UK economy. NatWest launched its High Growth IP-backed (HGIP) loan, developed with input from Inngot, in January 2024. The loan uses Inngot’s online platform to identify and value core business-driving intellectual property and related intangible assets which the bank can then take as collateral for lending. Clients with valuable IP can borrow from £250,000 up to £10m, depending on the valuation provided by Inngot. 

Neil kicks off by explaining how the bank was convinced to lend against IP: “One word -- it's data, really. High growth businesses are lower risk and intellectual property rich businesses that are also high growth are even lower risk… data is always key. And we have the data that really proves that these firms are lower risk and they're the best firms to lend to.” 

Having the IP-backed loan actually operating has provided even more data, he adds. “I'm really pleased to say that our data is playing out in the real world, as we build the portfolio. So, there's been no defaults or losses to date... Strong demand from our customers.” 

What’s more, now that a number of clients have gone through the annual review of the value of the IP they are using as collateral (one of the conditions of the loan), the evidence is that the IP in question has in fact increased in value significantly. Neil says: “For every pound that we are lending against IP, at the annual review, that has been increased by 32%. So it shows that in the hands of great management teams, intellectual property is such a productive asset for the UK economy, and a great asset to lend against.” 

In fact, as Neil admits, the IP-backed loan has become “a real differentiator for us. The proof is in the pudding that nearly 50% of the loans that we've done have been to firms that are new to NatWest.” 

The immediate next step for NatWest Group is to roll the loan out in Scotland and Northern Ireland.  

When NatWest launched the High-Growth IP-backed loan in January 2024, it was only available in England and Wales. At that time, using IP as collateral in Scotland was not legally possible. This all changed in April 2025, when a new law, The Moveable Transactions (Scotland) Act 2023, came into force.  

Neil Bellamy says: “We really want to scale the loan, and with the new change in law in Scotland we're able to take the loan north of the border and to Northern Ireland soon. It's really a key part of our ambition to support the innovators of the UK economy, and they're the ones that are driving growth across all the nations of the UK and all the regions as well.” 

Neil concludes by explaining that the High Growth IP-backed loan is part of the banking group’s strategy for supporting the UK’s innovative companies. As he says: “If we're serious about the future of the UK economy, we've really got to back the innovators that power it going forward.” For NatWest, “that really starts with our accelerator programme. So starting businesses right from the very beginning. And we're extending that to 50,000 clients this year. We're launching a venture banking service, and of course, intellectual property funding. So we're taking that nationwide and it's really so high potential businesses can access the finance that really reflects the value that they're building in their business.” 

All in all, this interview with Neil Bellamy highlights the transformative potential of intellectual property financing. By backing innovators and utilizing data-driven insights, NatWest is not only helping businesses thrive but also contributing to the overall growth of the UK economy.  

If you're looking to explore IP finance, then either Book a free call with Inngot or Take a quick assessment to see if you could be eligible.