We were engaged by Octopus Investments to appraise the IP assets of an innovative, award-winning business, specializing in the design and manufacture of cutting-edge LED lighting products for photographers and filmmakers. Its pioneering technology is favored by fashion photographers and Hollywood crews. To support both further product releases and expansion, the Company required financial investment of circa $7million.
Our client Octopus Investments recognized that the Company had developed significant IP assets and engaged Metis Partners to undertake a Commercial IP Due Diligence Exercise to:
- assess the extent and quality of the Company’s IP assets;
- make key recommendations to the Company for actions that would bolster its IP protection;
- and advise on the effectiveness and make recommendations in respect of the Company’s existing IP strategy and IP management.
Our Metisology® approach underpins everything we do at Metis and our unique ability to both identify both formal and informal IP, map it to revenue streams and assess how the IP underpins the business model and provides a competitive moat around that business was exactly what Octopus Investments required.
We identified, not only the registered IP assets held by the Company, but also the overlooked but critical, informal IP in the Company. We assessed the strength and quality of the Company’s IP and highlighted key risks that could impact both the value of these assets and the ability of the IP to secure competitive advantage.
Our report provided an overview of the IP portfolio, commentary on its strengths and weaknesses and highlighted immediate, short- and long-term actions for the Company to take to improve IP management and protection. The categorization of recommended action helps the Company establish a timeline of action plan and better informs Octopus Investments on the relative urgency of each identified risk.
We advised Octopus on the key risks that could impact the value of the IP assets, providing much needed transparency for the investor about the Company and its critical assets. We also made recommendations on how these risks could be mitigated. We provided the comfort Octopus Investments needed to proceed with its investment.
We were delighted to use our IP expertise to facilitate this deal.
IP Assets Appraised: Patents, Trade Secrets, Software, Key Organizational Knowledge, Know-How, Brand & Reputation, Trade Marks
