Trademarks, patents, designs and copyright are no longer just legal assets. They sit on your balance sheet, drive M&A negotiations, support fundraising and shape your tax position. Dreyfus & Associés combines IP strategy, intangible asset valuation, INPI and BPI France funding schemes, and court-appointed expertise to help international companies turn their IP portfolio into a real financial lever.
Reviewed by Nathalie Dreyfus, European Trademark and Patent Attorney, court-appointed expert at the Paris Court of Appeal and the French Court of Cassation. Last updated: June 2026.
Three trends make IP strategy a board-level priority. First, intangible assets now represent more than 90 percent of the market value of S&P 500 companies as of 2020, a structural shift documented according to Ocean Tomo studies, a structural shift from tangible to intangible value. Second, IFRS reporting requires precise recognition and valuation of intangible assets at acquisition (IFRS 3 Business Combinations) and during the life of the asset (IAS 38 Intangible Assets). Third, French and EU innovation funding tools (Research Tax Credit, IP Box at 10 percent, INPI IP Pass, BPI France diagnostic) reward companies that can document and value their IP portfolio.
In practice, a strategic IP audit answers four questions: what do we own, what is it worth, how do we exploit it, and how do we protect it? Without clear answers, IP becomes a hidden cost. With clear answers, IP becomes a competitive moat.
Intangible assets now account for more than 90 percent of the market capitalisation of S&P 500 companies, a structural shift documented by Ocean Tomo and Brand Finance. IP audit and valuation are no longer optional for businesses preparing M&A, IPO or refinancing.
Source: Ocean Tomo, Intangible Asset Market Value Study.
IAS 38 sets the accounting rules for recognition, measurement and amortisation of intangible assets, including trademarks, patents, copyrights and software. Applies to all IFRS reporters worldwide.
Source: IFRS Foundation, IAS 38 Intangible Assets.
Under IFRS 3, the acquirer must allocate the purchase price across identifiable assets, including identifiable intangible assets (brand, patents, customer lists, technology). Independent valuation is required for the financial statements.
Source: IFRS Foundation, IFRS 3 Business Combinations.
ISO 10668 sets the requirements for monetary brand valuation, covering transparency, validity, reliability and objectivity. It applies cost, income and market approaches and is the global reference for credible brand valuation.
Source: International Organization for Standardization, ISO 10668.
Our IP strategy and valuation services serve a distinct audience compared with our day-to-day IP filing and litigation practice.
We list every IP right (trademark, patent, design, copyright, domain name, software, trade secret) and reconcile it with the legal owner, the operational user and the country of protection. We map the chain of title across acquisitions, assignments and licences.
We check the validity, scope and enforceability of each right, the contractual exploitation chain (licences, R&D agreements, employment IP clauses, M&A warranties) and the recording status at the INPI, EUIPO, WIPO and EPO.
We benchmark the portfolio against the business strategy, the product roadmap, the target markets and the competitive landscape. We identify overprotected zones, underprotected zones, redundant rights and missing rights.
Following ISO 10668 for brand valuation and recognised methods for patents and copyrights (relief from royalty, multi-period excess earnings, cost approach, market approach), we deliver a financial valuation usable for IFRS, M&A, transfer pricing or fundraising.
We deliver a strategic roadmap with quick wins, mid-term actions and a 3-year IP investment plan. The deliverables are aligned with French innovation funding tools (CIR for patents, IP Box at 10 percent, INPI and BPI France grants).
Twenty years of practice on French, EU, US, Indian and Chinese portfolios for international clients.
Nathalie Dreyfus is a court-appointed IP expert at the Paris Court of Appeal and the French Court of Cassation.
Approved partner for the INPI IP Pass and the BPI France IP and intangible asset diagnostic.
We apply ISO 10668, IAS 38 and IFRS 3 standards in cooperation with valuators and auditors.
Coordination with tax counsel, M&A bankers, statutory auditors and IP economists for full-cycle delivery.
Native fluency in French civil law and procedure, with seamless coordination with common law jurisdictions.
IP protects innovation, secures competitive advantage, attracts investors and enables monetisation through licensing, sale or contribution to a joint venture. It also unlocks tax incentives such as the French Research Tax Credit and the IP Box at 10 percent, and it forms a material share of company value at M&A or IPO.
An IP audit reviews the legal status, scope and exploitation of each right. An IP valuation translates these rights into a monetary value, using cost, income or market approaches under ISO 10668 for brands and recognised methods for patents and copyrights. Both are needed for an informed strategic decision.
At every major corporate event: acquisition, sale, IPO, fundraising, refinancing, contribution to a subsidiary, transfer pricing review and IFRS reporting under IAS 38 and IFRS 3 (Purchase Price Allocation). Annual valuation is also useful for boards monitoring intangible asset performance.
Two main schemes. The INPI IP Pass covers 50 percent of IP service costs for SMEs, up to 3,000 euros of INPI funding per service (for a maximum service cost of 6,000 euros), and up to 5,000 euros of total INPI funding across three separate passes over the lifetime of the company. The BPI France IP and intangible assets diagnostic funds part of an IP audit and valuation for SMEs and mid-caps. Dreyfus is a registered partner for both schemes.
Yes, when delivered to ISO 10668 and aligned with IAS 38, IFRS 3 and OECD transfer pricing standards. Our reports are routinely used for Purchase Price Allocation, transfer pricing files, contribution audits by French statutory auditors and tax rulings.
A neutral technical expert appointed by a judge, or privately retained by parties, to analyse the technical aspects of an IP dispute and quantify damages. Court-appointed expertise carries strong evidentiary weight before French and European courts. Nathalie Dreyfus has been appointed since 2009.
