Are you the owner of an intellectual property right and do you, as an entrepreneur or future entrepreneur, want to make the best possible use of your right to obtain financing?

Are you wondering how you can use your intellectual property rights as collateral to obtain financing?

Are you about to enter into a contractual commitment and do you require financing in order to do so? Would you therefore like to better asses the financial value of your intellectual property right.

The answers to these questions can be found in the “Practical Guide for SMEs to Access Finance Using Intellectual Property Rights”.

Why a Guide?

Each company needs financing, and above all while they are in the development phase.. This is often granted on the basis of the figures on the balance sheet, or even on the basis of the assets that the entrepreneur can put up as collateral. It is therefore essential to identify, properly protect and value assets in the form of intellectual property rights (IP-assets) (patents, trademarks, designs, copyrights, databases, trade secrets, etc.) are therefore essential, like to approach financial institutions.

Moreover, a well-considered management of the IP-asset portfolio can provide a very interesting return on investment. The licensing of intellectual property rights, franchises, technology transfers and various types of intellectual property right partnerships contribute to the growth of the company and of the economy in general.

The "Practical Guide for SMEs to Access Finance Using Intellectual Property Rights" was developed by the FPS Economy.Its aim is to facilitate SMEs' access to finance through a better understanding of the different tools to use IP assets, e.g. as collateral.

Key Topics

This guide, written in English, provides an overview of the different approaches that exist for accessing finance through intellectual property rights.

It highlights intellectual property as collateral in debt financing and as an insurance policy. In addition, it also describes the various legal and fiscal instruments that can encourage SMEs to innovate.

The guide also includes a series of recommendations on how SMEs can use their IP assets to access appropriate financing.

Furthermore, a detailed glossary and table of contents are provided as a guide to help businesses to find answers to their questions.

Furthermore, a general overview of the guide provides  not only a summary of the guide, but also a toolbox with practical information for Belgian SMEs to improve the management of their intellectual property strategy. This overview is available in French, Dutch and English.

Consult the guide and  the general overview

Last update
4 November 2024