Money looking for assets: Why investors like patents
In a series of blog posts, Marco Coolen offers a glimpse into his work as a Dutch and European patent attorney at AOMB.
Published on May 10, 2026
Marco, a patent attorney at AOMB since 2013, shares his expertise on IO+ about patents—how they work, why they matter, and when they lose their value.
More than €1.15 trillion circulates in private equity and venture capital across Europe. That is an almost unimaginable amount of money. But behind that number lies something simple: all that capital is actively searching for returns.
Investors are constantly looking for new opportunities. Not just for ideas, but for companies in which technology, market, and scalability come together. And this is where an important distinction arises. Investors rarely invest in an idea alone. They invest in ownership.
Marco Coolen, photo © Bart van Overbeeke
From idea to ownership
An idea can be brilliant, but without protection, it remains vulnerable. Anyone can copy it. Anyone can build further on it. For investors, that is a challenge. Because how do you determine the value of something that is not exclusive? That is where patents come into play.
A patent makes innovation tangible. It is a legal right that can be transferred, valued, and sold.
In other words, it turns an idea into an asset.
A signal to the market
Patents serve another function as well. They show that strategic thought has gone into technology and competition. When a company protects its innovation, it tells investors that the technology is distinctive, that the entrepreneur is thinking about scale, and that competition is being taken seriously.
It is not a guarantee of success. But it does send a signal that the company's foundation has been carefully considered.
The role of venture capital
In the early stages of a company, funding often comes from venture capital. These are investors who are willing to take risks in exchange for growth potential. They invest in technologies that are still under development. In that phase, patents are often part of the story: a way to show that an innovation cannot simply be copied.
When private equity steps in
Later, the playing field changes. As companies grow, private equity firms often enter the picture. They bring not only capital, but also structure, management experience, and international networks. At that point, investors no longer look only at the product. They look at the company’s position: how strong is the technology? How difficult is it for competitors to do the same? How scalable is the model?
A strong patent position can help answer those questions.
No guarantee, but substantiation
That does not mean patents automatically lead to investments. Many successful companies have few or no patents. And many patented technologies never reach the market. But in discussions with investors, patents do provide support. They make innovation more concrete. They help explain risks. And they support a company's valuation.
In a market where more than a trillion euros is searching for growth, that can make all the difference. Because patents show that a company is not only creating something, but also understands how value is built.
The world of patents
The World of Patents
Every Sunday, Marco Coolen shares one of his experiences from the world of patents and intellectual property.