Yesterday the Chancellor announced the most significant reforms to small business finance in years – and at the heart of them sits something we at IPA have long championed: finance for businesses whose value lies in their ideas.
As part of a package unveiled ahead of the Mansion House speech, the British Business Bank has allocated £500 million within its ENABLE Guarantee programme specifically to unlock lending to SMEs and scaling firms rich in intellectual property.
Why this matters
The gap between what UK SMEs need in finance and what’s available is estimated at up to £4.1 billion a year – and IP-rich businesses feel it most acutely. Firms in sectors such as life sciences, creative industries and technology often hold enormously valuable intangible assets, yet struggle to borrow against them because lenders have traditionally required physical security.
Yesterday’s announcement changes the landscape. Government has formally recognised intangible assets as a foundation for lending – and put capital behind that recognition.
Our role
For some time, IPA has been building a coalition of financial institutions to make the case for lending against intangible assets, anchored by the British Business Bank’s ENABLE programme. We’ve held formal discussions with the Intellectual Property Office, and NatWest has agreed to support a pilot. Today’s announcement is powerful validation of that work – and a signal that the market is now moving.
What it means for you
If you’re a lender, this is a new, government-backed asset class taking shape – and an opportunity to be involved as the frameworks are defined, not after.
If you’re an IP-rich business, the finance to commercialise, invest and scale is becoming genuinely accessible – but only if your IP is properly identified, protected and valued on your balance sheet. That’s exactly what IPA’s DNA service delivers.
Either way, we’d welcome a conversation. Get in touch to arrange a short exploratory call, or contact us via email at info@ip-a.co.uk or via the contact form.