Government releases report on IP financing and trading

A UK government report has suggested following the model of the Copyright Hub in an attempt to increase the financing and trading of IP assets.

The report, IP markets and enabling information ecosystems, focusses on the key characteristics of IP markets which could support efficient trading and provide the information needed to help traders monetise assets through sale or licensing.

Commissioned by the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) and published by Golant Media Ventures, it is a follow-up to the November 2013 study Banking on IP? that encouraged small and-medium-sized enterprises to use IP to secure finance.

The main recommendation of the new report, published today, (September 8), is to build on existing solutions such as the Copyright Hub and the Anti-Copying in Design (ACID) Marketplace to help monetise IP across all sectors.

The Copyright Hub, launched last year, was designed to be a ’one-stop-shop’ website to make it easier to get information about rights ownership and licences while ACID is a trade organisation representing designers in all sectors regarding IP matters.

It also encourages the development of research services to support businesses, investors and other funders around the sale, purchase, insurance, licensing and financing of IP.

“The range of UK government and public bodies addressing innovation policy, including the IPO Department for Business Innovation and Skills, should encourage and support the development and adoption of standards in this area,” the report said.

It added: “The report is a review of primary research and input from a wide range of stakeholders. It provides a starting point for bringing the public and private sector together to see what can be achieved.”

The report can be found on the government website.