On 25 and 26 September 2025, the EUIPO hosted in its premises in Alicante the Board meeting of the European Association of Guarantee Institutions (AECM). The agenda featured a workshop bringing together high-level representatives from the EU institutions and AECM members (public banks and guarantee institutions) to discuss the latest developments and challenges in the field of IP-backed finance.

A workshop to share knowledge and expertise on IP-backed finance

The meeting marked a significant milestone, as financial banks and guarantee institutions placed intellectual property (IP) at the forefront of their agenda for the first time.

The workshop kicked off with a welcome and introduction by Guy Selbherr, President of AECM, and João Negrão, Executive Director of the EUIPO. It then delved into strategic considerations from EU institutions, including presentations from the European Commission on a standardised IP valuation framework, within the context of the EU’s Scale-up and Start-up Strategy, and from the European Investment Fund focusing on the Innovation and Digitalisation Portfolio Guarantee Product and the future of IP valuation.

The EUIPO presented its vision for the IP-backed finance workstream and called on the financial institutions to collaborate in promoting capacity building and awareness-raising campaigns to their staff.

AECM members also shared their experiences and insights on financial instruments and advisory support for IP, highlighting some current challenges and opportunities for scaling up support in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

The workshop concluded with a discussion on strategic priorities for the next MFF, exploring alignment between the European Commission, the EUIPO and the AECM.

What’s next

The EUIPO will publish a comprehensive report on IP-backed finance in the coming months, which will provide a detailed analysis of the financing gap in Europe facing SMEs that depend heavily on intangible assets.

About IP-backed finance

IP-backed finance is an evolving approach that enables businesses to leverage their intellectual property - such as patents, trademarks, designs, copyrights and geographical indications - and access capital that would otherwise be out of reach through traditional lending criteria. Financial institutions are beginning to recognise IP as a viable and strategic asset class. This shift creates new opportunities to collaborate with these institutions in developing innovative funding solutions that support business growth.

IP-backed finance is included in the EUIPO's Strategic Plan 2030, under the Priority Impact Area “Promotion of innovation”.

Source: https://www.euipo.europa.eu/en/news/euipo-aecm-meeting-a-new-chapter-for-ip-backed-finance