WIPO to host second annual conference on IP finance and valuation next week

The World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) has organised a major conference, Expanding Horizons on IP Finance and Valuation, taking place virtually and at its Geneva headquarters on Tuesday 21st November 2023.

The latest conference comes a year after WIPO kicked off its IP finance initiative with its High-level Conversation on Unlocking Intangible Asset Finance, at which Inngot co-founder and CEO Martin Brassell was a key speaker.

Next week’s WIPO IP Finance Dialogue builds on the foundations laid by last year’s High-level Conversation.

The latest event will consist of three main components:

a stocktaking of WIPO’s Action Plan and the outlining of next steps;

the presentation of the findings by WIPO’s Expert Consultative Group on Valuation of Intangible Assets;

and a range of panel discussions between thought leaders, practitioners and experts sharing different perspectives on intangibles valuation and finance.

Registration details for the livestream of next week’s WIPO conference can be found on the WIPO site, along with the latest programme details.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Chen Mingyuan, Director of Operational System Construction Division, Intellectual Property Utilization and Promotion Department, China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA)
• Rena Lee, Chief Executive, Intellectual Property Office of Singapore
• Professor Jonathan Haskel of London’s Imperial College Business School
• Astrid Bartels, Head of Access to Finance Unit, Directorate-General Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, at the European Commission
• Nick Talbot, Chief Executive Officer of the International Valuation Standards Council
• Neil Bellamy, Head of Technology, Media, Telecoms & Services, NatWest
• Brian Hinman, Innovation Officer, Aon Intellectual Property Solutions
• Roland Emmans, Head of Technology Sector & Growth Lending, HSBC London
• Matúš Medvec, President, Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic.

Inngot is currently working with a number of partners, including WIPO, the Intellectual Property Office UK, HSBC Commercial Banking UK, NatWest Group and major insurance companies, to develop tools to help companies identify and value their IP and intangible assets, processes to facilitate IP-based lending, and education programs targeting relevant stakeholders.

Next week’s WIPO event also coincides with the 10^th anniversary of the publication of the highly influential ‘Banking on IP?’ report, commissioned by the UK’s Intellectual Property Office, which was co-authored by Martin Brassell and Kelvin King, founder of Valuation Consulting.

Banking on IP: The role of intellectual property and intangible assets in facilitating business was a seminal exploration of the growing importance in business of IP and related intangible assets, and how companies might be empowered to use these assets in raising funding.

It concluded with 10 recommendations, which are still relevant today:

1. IP and intangibles must be identified during the financing process
2. The value in IP needs to be taken into account
3. Due diligence guidelines can help to control costs
4. More effective charges should be part of the lending package
5. IP markets and IP financing could be facilitated through infrastructure improvements
6. On-going management of IP and intangibles should also be supported
7. Affordable risk mitigation strategies are to be encouraged
8. Asset-based finance techniques should be adapted for IP and intangibles
9. Steps to stimulate private investment need closer study
10. IP demands joined-up thinking