Selling & Buyers
Who buys patents?
The short answer
Three groups: operating companies protecting or expanding product lines, investment firms and aggregators building IP portfolios, and occasionally competitors who'd rather own your patent than design around it. Market reports note operating companies remain active sellers and buyers — and that NPEs (licensing enforcement firms) purchase a growing share of brokered packages.
The full picture
The strongest buyer for your patent is almost always an operating company already active in the market it covers — they can monetize through products, not just enforcement, so they can pay the most. Aggregators buy for future licensing campaigns and price more conservatively. Competitors buy defensively and move fast when the threat is real.
What this means practically: your target list should start with companies whose revenue your claims touch, not with generic patent buyers. Identifying which of the three buyer types fits your patent — and which specific companies sit at the top of the list — is where a conversation with us usually starts.
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.