Licensing process for companies & startups

We guide both established companies and startups through a clearly structured licensing process.

With tailored terms and a particular focus on founding teams where inventors are often founders themselves.

Understand the process
1. Initial meeting: get to know each other & get oriented

In a non-binding initial meeting

  • we exchange non-confidential information on the technology, IP situation, and target markets
  • we learn about your business model, goals, and needs
  • we clarify whether a license model makes strategic sense, and which one

Differences:

  • Companies: focus on strategic portfolio fit, time to market, and integration into existing structures
  • Startups: focus on business model, team, funding situation, and the inventors' role on the founding team
Goal

A shared understanding of whether and how we continue the licensing process together.

2. Deeper information exchange under NDA

Before exchanging sensitive information, we sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA). A structured information exchange then follows:

  • Technical information on the technology and its maturity
  • Commercial data (business plan, funding needs, market entry strategy)
  • IP-relevant information (patent applications, IP status, and co-ownership where applicable)

For startups in particular: we take into account that inventors are often founders themselves.

Goal

A reliable information base for due diligence, terms, and contract design.

3. Due diligence: IP, market & risks

We support due diligence from an IP and market perspective:

  • IP situation: scope of protection, terms, territorial coverage, freedom to operate
  • Market & competition: market potential, competitive landscape, barriers to entry
  • Risks & opportunities: technological, regulatory, commercial, and financial aspects

Differences in focus:

  • Companies: stronger focus on portfolio fit, synergies, and integration into existing products or structures
  • Startups: stronger focus on investability, scalability, and the long-term outlook of the business model
Goal

A transparent basis for both sides to decide whether a license makes sense, and under what conditions.

4. Financial terms & term sheet: tailored for companies & startups

Based on due diligence, we negotiate the commercial framework and capture it in a term sheet, for example:

  • Upfront payments
  • Milestone payments
  • Ongoing royalties

Terms are calculated transparently:

  • using comparables (comparable market and licensing deals)
  • and an NPV model (net present value)

For companies and startups:

  • A market-standard, balanced structure of upfront, milestones, and royalties
  • Focus on value contribution, risk allocation, and strategic importance
Goal

Fair, market-aligned terms that are clearly calculable for companies and financeable and growth-oriented for startups.

5. Drafting and closing the license agreement

Based on the term sheet, we draft and negotiate the license agreement in detail.

Startup-specific aspects:

  • Clear rules on IP ownership, co-development, and incorporating later developments
  • Contract structures that support investor compatibility

Once agreement is reached, the license agreement is signed. On request, we also support further IP strategy development (for example additional countries or applications)

Goal

A legally robust, clearly structured framework that keeps both established companies and startups actionable for the long term, and fairly involves inventors.