6 things investors check in a biotech's IP.

1. 1
   Nucleus · IP assets · 20%

   Do you own what you're raising on, and does it cover what you'll sell?

   Investors look for a clear line from your patents, know-how and data to the strain, process or product you'll take to market. They also check that every founder, student and contractor has assigned their rights to the company.

   The fix: list everything of value you own in one place, map each item to your product, and close any ownership gaps.

   In the Kit: Intangible Assets Register

2. 2
   Cell wall · Governance · 15%

   Who decides what gets filed, kept secret or published?

   Without clear rules, decisions are made by whoever happens to be in the room, and secrets leak through posters, theses and pitch decks. Investors read a written IP policy as a sign of discipline.

   The fix: name an IP Manager and an IP Committee, and write down how disclosure, filing and AI-tool use work.

   In the Kit: IP Field Manual (template)

3. 3
   Ribosomes on the ER · Invention pipeline · 15%

   Is new IP captured before it walks out the door?

   Your lab makes new IP every month. If it isn't recorded and scored, the best ideas are published, forgotten or claimed by a partner before anyone decides what to do with them.

   The fix: run a 90-minute harvesting session each quarter, log every idea, and write up the high-priority ones properly.

   In the Kit: IP Harvesting Sprint, IP Harvesting Log, Invention Disclosure Form

4. Three down. How many of these are already in place for you?

   Get your free score →
5. 4
   Golgi and vesicles · Investor narrative · 20%

   Can you explain your IP on one slide?

   Investors don't read patent specifications. They want to know what you own, why it matters and how it builds a moat over time, in language a non-specialist partner can repeat to their committee.

   The fix: score where you stand, then build the one-page IP story and the answers to the questions investors will ask.

   In the Kit: IP Strategy Workbook, IP Strategy Quick Reference

6. 5
   Mitochondria · Commercial alignment · 15%

   Does your IP spend follow your business model?

   Filing in the wrong countries, or protecting a direction the company has left, burns runway. Investors check that your IP budget follows your markets, your partners and the product you'll actually sell.

   The fix: score each dimension against your plan and turn the gaps into a prioritised 90-day action list.

   In the Kit: IP Readiness Rubric

7. 6
   Membrane · Due diligence readiness · 15%

   Could you hand over a clean set of IP documents tomorrow?

   Diligence moves fast once a term sheet is in sight. Missing assignments, unsigned licences or the wrong documents in the data room slow a round, and sometimes stop it.

   The fix: check the 27 documents investors typically ask for, starting with the 10 that are critical.

   In the Kit: IP Due Diligence Readiness Checklist

General commercial and IP-strategy information, not legal advice. IP law and deadlines differ between countries. Get advice from a registered attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything specific to your situation. Illustration: a budding yeast cell carrying a plasmid, not to scale.