European companies, whose value increasingly depends on intellectual property and other intangible assets, could benefit from better access to finance. This is the conclusion reached by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), which is responsible for managing EU trademarks, registered Community designs and geographical indications of the EU for craft and industrial products.
At a joint meeting of the steering group and the technical working group in Brussels on June 10, participants approved the “European IP-backed Finance Roadmap” – a step that marks the transition from analysis to practical implementation.
The approval is based on the EUIPO report “IP-backed Finance in Europe: State of Play and Future Perspectives”, which identifies the key obstacles that prevent innovative companies from effectively using their intellectual property when seeking financing.
The meeting was organized by the EUIPO and the European Commission and brought together representatives from EU institutions, national intellectual property offices, financial institutions and industry organizations. At the opening, Nathalie Berger, Director of Competitiveness at the European Commission’s DG Grow, and EUIPO Executive Director João Negrão highlighted the need to adapt the European financial system to an economy increasingly characterized by innovation and intangibles.
“Europe has the talent, the research and the capital. What we need is a financial system that better recognizes the value of innovation and intellectual property. It must help innovative companies to grow, expand and compete globally,” said Negrão.
Intellectual property is often one of a company’s most valuable assets – but is difficult for many financial institutions to value. Start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs in particular often have difficulty obtaining the funds they need to grow.
The roadmap outlines a practical path to address this challenge. Companies should be able to present information about their intellectual property more clearly; Banks, investors and public financial institutions should be able to better understand and use this information. The work focuses on several key areas: the valuation of intangible assets, the construction of a solid database from real financial transactions, and the investigation of guarantee systems and risk-sharing mechanisms.
By the end of 2027, the fundamental components of the European intellectual property financing ecosystem are expected to be operational, with the aim of more closely linking innovation, investment and growth.
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