IASP joins EUIPO Working Group on IP-backed Financing

Our European division president, Agnes Von Matuschka, from Potsdam Science Park in Germany, represented IASP at the EUIPO event hosted in Brussels, Belgium on 4-5 December. 

This IP-backed Financing workshop, co-led with the European Commission, brought together EU policymakers, financial institutions, business leaders, and experts to make intellectual property (IP) a key driver for SME growth and competitiveness in Europe by improving access to finance.  

Meeting participants shared insights, experiences, and feedback on the challenges and opportunities of IP backed finance. This was with the aim to help define priorities for a practical, feasible and implementable roadmap, engaging in forward-looking dialogue to explore opportunities for innovative financial products, and define the role of EU programmes within the context of the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034.  

Across the European Union economy, intangible assets are becoming increasingly important for competitiveness. However, financing systems still mainly rely on tangible collateral. Many SMEs and start-ups face challenges in leveraging intellectual property (IP) for financing due to fragmented information, inconsistent valuation methods, limited awareness, and lack of institutional trust. 

During the discussion, Agnes introduced IASP and its extensive network of members across Europe and beyond, discussing matters to enhance ecosystem development by strengthening IP training, raising awareness, building expert networks, and providing advisory support for SMEs and valuators.  

“To truly unlock the potential of intangibles, we need collaboration across policy, finance and tech transfer communities”, said Agnes. IASP and the European division play a key role in bridging these gaps, connecting innovation ecosystems and fostering trust in IP-backed finance.