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Implications of uncertain patent rights for German start-ups’ commercialisation activities and access to external capital

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  • Diana Heger
  • Katrin Hussinger

Abstract

Start-ups may benefit in two ways from patenting their inventions: from the appropriation value and the certification effect of patents which reveals the ventures’ ‘quality’ to investors. As long as the patent office’s grant decision is pending both benefits may not realise. We confirm for a data-set of German start-ups that pending patent applications decrease the likelihood of market launch for new ventures. Regarding the certification effect, we find that pending patent applications attract risk-seeking investors, while more cautious investors do not react upon pending patent applications.

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  • Diana Heger & Katrin Hussinger, 2017. "Implications of uncertain patent rights for German start-ups’ commercialisation activities and access to external capital," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(7), pages 753-773, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:indinn:v:24:y:2017:i:7:p:753-773
    DOI: 10.1080/13662716.2016.1264066
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital

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