2019-05-22 13.00 High Technology Sector_ The IP in IPO_ IP Valuation Lessons from Recent Public Exits

The year 2019 is shaping up to be a record year for IPOs: from iconic brands like Levi Strauss, to technology disruptors like Lyft and Pinterest, billions of dollars in valuations have been realized through public exits, providing hefty returns to investors and shareholders. When it comes to understanding what triggers the enormous valuations of some of these companies (commonly known as "Unicorns" - a private startup with a valuation in excess of $ Billion), an interesting question to explore is the role that IP assets play in driving the valuation. One thing we know from a previous study done on Unicorns, is that most of them hold very little patents, if any. In this webinar, we will analyze four of the recent IPOs involving different business models and IP assets, and try to understand how the value of these assets is reflected in the value of the initial public offering.


Some of the learning objectives of this webinar include:


- What role does IP play in startup valuations?
- What types of IP assets were created by companies who recently went public?
- What types of IP issues frequently emerge pre-IPO and how are companies dealing with them? Do these issues have an impact on valuation?
- How can the value of IP assets be measured pre- and post-IPO?