Authors: Matt Ainsworth and Selina Hinchliffe

For many businesses, the biggest threat to a future investment, acquisition or exit is not financial performance – it is whether they can clearly evidence ownership and control of the assets driving value.

Increasingly, those assets are intellectual property, software, data and digital infrastructure. And in many organisations, the position is far less clear than leadership teams realise.

Brand, proprietary systems, customer data, internal processes, content, software code and know-how are now central to how businesses grow and compete. Yet they are also where some of the most significant hidden risks sit , particularly when a business comes under the scrutiny of investment or due diligence.

In today’s market, intellectual property is no longer a niche legal issue sitting separately from corporate strategy. It is increasingly central to valuation, deal certainty and long-term business resilience.

The risk businesses often discover too late

For growing businesses, IP risk tends to build quietly over time.

In the early stages, speed is usually prioritised over process. Developers are engaged quickly, consultants are brought in to support growth, systems evolve rapidly and technology stacks expand organically. Ownership arrangements, licensing terms and documentation are often assumed rather than rigorously reviewed.

That approach can work perfectly well day to day – until an investment round, acquisition or sale process begins.

At that point, businesses are often surprised by the level of scrutiny placed on their intellectual property position. Buyers and investors increasingly want detailed assurance around

• ownership of software, content and proprietary systems
• contractor and consultant IP assignments
• reliance on third-party platforms or licences
• open-source software exposure
• data ownership and usage rights
• how AI tools are being used across the organisation

These are not technical details buried in legal due diligence. They go directly to value and risk.

Where gaps or uncertainty exist, the impact can be immediate. Transactions may slow down, valuations may come under pressure and additional warranties or indemnities may be required. In some cases, unresolved IP issues can undermine deal confidence altogether.

AI is accelerating the complexity

The rapid adoption of AI is making this landscape even more complicated.

Many businesses are now using generative AI tools across marketing, operations, development and internal workflows – often without clear governance or visibility at leadership level.

That raises increasingly important questions, such as

• Who owns AI-generated outputs?
• Are employees exposing confidential information through external tools?
• How do existing supplier contracts deal with AI-generated content or code?
• Has AI use introduced third-party IP risks into the business?

For investors and acquirers, these are becoming live due diligence issues rather than theoretical future concerns.

IP readiness is becoming as important as financial readiness

Historically, businesses approaching investment or exit would focus heavily on financial preparation, governance structures and operational performance. Increasingly, intellectual property readiness deserves the same level of attention.

Boards and leadership teams should be asking:

• Do we actually own the assets driving value in the business?
• Can we clearly evidence ownership across employees, contractors and suppliers?
• Where are we dependent on third-party systems or licences?
• Would our IP position withstand scrutiny during a transaction process?
• Do we understand the risks created by AI and evolving technology use?

The businesses best positioned for growth, investment or exit are not necessarily those with the largest IP portfolios. They are the ones with the clearest understanding of what they own, where the risks sit and how those risks are managed.

A more joined-up approach to corporate risk

As businesses become increasingly digital, the distinction between corporate value and intellectual property risk continues to narrow.

The most effective preparation for investment, acquisition or growth now requires corporate, commercial and IP thinking to work together from the outset, not as separate legal workstreams, but as part of a wider conversation about value, resilience and long-term strategy.

Ultimately, a business is not simply valued on what it says it owns. It is valued on what it can prove it owns and how confidently that position stands up under scrutiny.