Patent Valuation Overview

Patent valuation is one of the most challenging aspects of IP management. Values span an enormous range—from nearly worthless to billions of dollars—making reliable benchmarks essential.

Valuation Methods

1. Cost Approach What would it cost to develop the patented technology independently? This sets a floor value but often underestimates commercial value.

2. Market Approach What have comparable patents sold for? This is most reliable when good comparables exist, but patent sales data is often private.

3. Income Approach What revenue can the patent generate through licensing or product sales? This is most common for high-value patents but requires revenue projections.

4. AI-Enhanced Valuation Modern AI tools combine multiple signals—claim breadth, citation impact, market relevance, litigation history—to generate patent quality scores that correlate with value.

Transaction Benchmarks

Patent transaction prices vary enormously: - Individual patents: $50,000-$500,000 typical - Small portfolios: $500,000-$5,000,000 - Strategic portfolios: $10,000,000-$1,000,000,000+ - SEPs command 2-3x premiums over comparable non-SEPs

Licensing Rate Benchmarks

Common royalty rates by industry: - Software/Internet: 0.5-3% - Semiconductors: 1-5% - Telecommunications: 2-5% (aggregate for standards) - Pharmaceuticals: 5-20%+ - Medical Devices: 3-7%