The IP Moat: What VCs Actually Look For
In the 2025–2026 venture capital environment, intellectual property is no longer evaluated as a signalling asset. Venture capital firms increasingly treat IP as a risk
April 6, 2026
In the 2025–2026 venture capital environment, intellectual property is no longer evaluated as a signalling asset. Venture capital firms increasingly treat IP as a risk
Patents represent enforceable legal monopolies, but their treatment in financial statements is governed by accounting standards rather than intellectual property law. A granted patent does
In technology-driven mergers and acquisitions, a Freedom to Operate (FTO) opinion is one of the few diligence instruments that directly addresses catastrophic downside risk. Unlike
The success of a technology-driven acquisition depends fundamentally on the integrity, enforceability, and transferability of the target’s intellectual property portfolio. During M&A due diligence, IP
Contractor-Created IP as a Structural Risk in Fundraising Clean intellectual property ownership is a threshold requirement for venture funding, venture debt, and acquisition diligence. Among