Patent-leveraged venture capital firm Ideaship is actively seeking early-stage startup companies in the Charlotte region for investment. Ideaship is a collaboration between Portland, Ore.-based Global Technology Transfer Group and Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America.
GTT Group, the world's leading patent analysis, patent transaction, and patent valuation firm, manages Ideaship. Support is provided by Panasonic IP Corporation of America, World Class Corporate IP Strategy Specialists.
Scott Hicks, an Asheville-based analyst with Global Technology Transfer Group said Ideaship is looking to grow.
“Ideaship wants to grow and they are looking at North Carolina and the Southeast to find good companies there to work with,” Hicks said.
Patent and Protection
Most early-stage companies lack sufficient time, knowledge, or funds to develop a patent portfolio that covers industry-wide adoption. Early-stage companies cannot afford patent valuation services for fundraising support or to fund external patent counsel. Therefore, they need help. That's where Ideaship comes in.
Ideaship's patent capital fund maximizes enterprise value by creating premium patent assets. Even well-funded entrepreneurs understand the Ideaship contribution to establishing an enterprise premium.
“In talking with some of the startup companies, a problem they often have in gathering venture capital is they often don’t have the resources to get the patent protection they need,” Hicks said. “It’s a catch-22. Without the patent protection, they can’t get the investment. We help companies overcome that hurdle.”
Ideaship maximizes the potential of startups' enterprise value in relation to fundraising, go-to-market, and acquisition or IPO. Ideaship has found that startups often don't properly protect their innovation, which makes this innovation less valuable when the startups go to raise money or sell their company. Intellectual property at the early stages can play a role in the valuation at raise, the amount raised, and how valuable an idea and company are when looking for an exit.
Carefully curated patent value can be a beacon for companies on the lookout for a solution. The Ideaship team understands, articulates, and activates patent value.
Key Services
Ideaship provides in-house patent department services, external patent counsel funding, and fundraising and strategic corporate development support. It funds via a hybrid model of cash and services for equity, typically through a SAFE agreement with the goal of establishing a patent premium and maximizing enterprise value. Investee companies that partner with Ideaship are eligible for follow-on direct investment.
In addition, Ideaship delivers a number of core essential services, including the following:
Patent Business Strategy, Innovation Catalog, Patent Drafting Support for Value Maximization, External Patent Counsel Funding, and Patent Portfolio Valuation to support fundraising and liquidity events. In addition, Ideaship provides traditional early-stage venture capital firm support related to institutional investor introductions, key business development initiatives, acquisition pathways, and executive hires.
To find out more or to set up a meeting, contact Scott Hicks at shicks@gttgrp.com.
