Finitive named Joshua Meltzer as Managing Director and head of the firm’s newly formed Intellectual Property (IP) Finance Group. Meltzer will focus on bringing a range of IP opportunities to the Finitive platform to address the growing demand from institutional investors for efficient access to this large and diverse asset class.
The group – which will focus on IP litigation funding, IP-based lending and royalty finance, among several other types of IP investment – will broadly pursue situations where Finitive’s technology and extensive investor network can lower transaction costs and unlock value to market participants. Potential transactions include syndication of existing portfolios of IP assets, IP-backed credit facilities and implementation of unique risk transfer solutions.
IP is a pillar of our interconnected, global economy, and its criticality and value in business is increasingly well understood. Interest from both capital providers and capital recipients in leveraging IP assets is strong and growing, but high transaction and other costs have prevented the asset class from realizing its potential. The Finitive platform simplifies and accelerates the legal, administrative, research and due diligence processes for capital recipients and investors.
IP financing transactions will be made available through Finitive’s powerful platform for efficient investor access, evaluation and closing. Over time, the IP group will leverage Finitive’s data and machine-learning capabilities to match opportunities with capital sources across a range of IP-related asset categories and structures.
“Our mission is to enable IP financing transactions by solving the market’s efficiency, risk-management and capital-access challenges,” Meltzer said. “Finitive sits at the intersection of the rapidly converging IP, finance, and technology markets, which creates significant runway for us. Finitive’s technology – smartly applied – can simplify transactions and reduce friction, thus helping the IP market to grow. We are excited to offer sophisticated funding solutions that provide investors with greater access to this countercyclical and non-correlated asset class, one that offers diversification and the potential for higher returns.”
Prior to joining Finitive, Meltzer was Managing Director, US for London-based investment firm Woodsford Group, where he co-launched its US operations. Previously, he launched the litigation funding business at Rembrandt IP Management, an IP-focused investment company. Meltzer also held licensing and strategy roles at Intellectual Ventures Management. Earlier in his career, he was a partner at Foster Chamberlain, which works with large companies and research labs to commercialize new technologies and launch spin-off ventures. He also held multiple roles at General Electric and GE Capital spanning private equity, structured finance, investments and operations.
“Josh brings deep knowledge of IP finance and the groups that can benefit from it, with experience that includes litigation finance, venture funding, licensing, spinoffs and tech transfer,” said Jon Barlow, founder and CEO of Finitive. “We are excited to support Josh as he expands investor access to a wide range of IP transactions, leveraging technology to bring a new level of price transparency, insightful data and transaction efficiency to a fast-growing but previously opaque and esoteric asset class.”