Selling & Buyers
Should I use a patent broker or sell directly?
The short answer
Brokers dominate the visible market, but private direct deals are rising — analysts note the shift is partly why the public brokered market has shrunk by several metrics. Direct sales keep the full price and the relationship; brokered sales bring reach and process. The right choice depends on whether you already know your buyer.
The full picture
Sell directly when you already have a warm path: a company that's approached you, an obvious strategic buyer in your network, or a licensing conversation that turns into a purchase. You'll need your own packaging and your own attorney, but you keep the broker's 20–35% and control the relationship.
Use a broker when the buyer isn't obvious, when you need confidentiality, or when the asset is big enough that a professional process pays for itself in price. Many owners do both in sequence — a direct pass at the obvious targets, then a broker for the wider market. Sequencing that correctly for your patent is a short conversation worth having first.
Where does your patent stand?
The Beyond the Patent Commercialization Score answers that — a professional, factor-by-factor read on your patent's licensing, sale, build, and partner potential.
Related questions
General information for patent owners — not legal advice. Read the disclaimer.