INTELECTUAL PROPERTY ASSETS – FINANCING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMES?

In a competitive market the use and protection of the intellectual property (IP) assets could be one of the key determinants for success and development. An increasing share of the market value of innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) appears to be derived from their intellectual assets. Therefore, firms need to manage these assets more actively in order to identify additional ways of extracting value from them. In that sense, it is important to examine current practices of financial institutions, venture capitals, business angels regarding the IP and the extent to which IP rights can promoting exchange of best practices.