New report: IP is critical in raising money for start-ups

A new joint study from the EPO and EUIPO investigates the role that IP plays in accessing funding for the European start-up ecosystem. The full study is obviously worth reading at length, but the overview is:

Applying for IP rights at an early stage is associated with improved success in gaining later stage funding
As funding stages reach later rounds, the proportion of start-ups having applied for a registered IP right grows
Biotech is the most IP-intensive sector
Trade marks predominate in the less IP-intensive sectors

It is heartening to see that the data bears out what patent and trade mark attorneys say to clients and potential clients - that obtaining IP rights is a critical step in a start-up's journey to successful funding or exit. I will definitely be keeping a copy of this report to hand.