Posts Tagged: "financing"

Patent-Based Financings: Unlocking Licensing Revenues While Mitigating IP Monetization Risks

Patent monetization has become nearly impossible for middle-market technology companies without engaging in some level of legal action. Management teams have consequently shied away from pursuing licensing opportunities, even when the revenue potential of a company’s intellectual property is compelling. While traditional debt and equity investors have an aversion to patent monetization stories, there are specialized investors willing to underwrite capital raises aimed at financing licensing revenue initiatives. By structuring these financings in a way that isolates monetization risk to the patent investor, companies can pursue licensing initiatives that have the potential to generate significant residual value for all stakeholders in the capital stack. In addition to capital, patent investors bring monetization expertise that can play a critical role in the success of a licensing revenue strategy… In many contexts, licensing revenues will only persist so long as the underlying patents remain valid. Increasingly, however, licensees and strategic third parties seek to invalidate patents in Inter Partes Review, rather than continue to pay or renew patent licenses. The uncertainty of future revenue streams further justifies financing structures that ameliorate such risk.

Patent Financing: An alternative path to protection for startups

RUSS KRAJEC: The startup company has an exclusive license, so they have full control of the asset, and they have a buyout option that can be exercised at any time. And the buyout cost is reasonable, is predictable, and it’s known ahead of time. So from them, it is purely a matter of financing while the startup company has excruciatingly high cost of capital. Angel or venture money averages 30, 40, 50 percent per year. Our financing is much lower than that, it’s a better use of capital. If at some point in the future, the company may be able to get a bank loan where the cost of capital is much cheaper, and it makes sense to exercise the buyout option. The patent financing is purely an analysis of Net Present Value in these scenarios.

Patent Financing: How startups can obtain funding for their patent applications

BlueIron’s non-dilutive financing for startups pays all of the patent costs, including filing fees and attorney’s fees, using a conventional commercial “lease-back” arrangement. This model has been gaining traction since its first release in the fall of 2014. After financing professional poker player Phil Gordon’s patent for his new software startup, Chatbox, BlueIron has made investments in startup companies in software, hardware, biotechnology, medical devices, financial services, and agriculture.

Debt vs. Equity – The Financing of Patent Monetization

Of course, if the debt provider is doing their job properly the valuation of the assets is to provide a safety net in the event of default. The fact that certain patents are currently under assault has to weigh into the valuation proposition, but the debt provider is not in the business of providing money to acquire patents. The debt provider would rather never have the assets revert to them. They want regular payments to service the debt. Thus, who you work with matters on at least one level. “The story matters a lot, and management is super important,” Zur explained. “One should look at the management because it is extremely important how the company itself, not the assets, are going to succeed.” If management is bad that increases the risk and debt providers have to act accordingly.