First published by International Trademark Association (INTA).
By: Safir Anand
INTA’s Integrating IP, Finance, and Valuation Workshop arrives in Mumbai on March 9 after kicking off in Slovenia in February. Hosted at the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), the free one-day event will explore how intellectual property (IP) is evolving from a legal afterthought into a cornerstone of economic competitiveness, shaping both corporate growth and India’s broader innovation trajectory.
The workshop will examine how intangible assets—such as IP, brand value, and data—can be used as collateral to secure loans. This is especially significant for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which often lack the substantial physical assets traditionally required to obtain financing.
The workshop will bring together capital market leaders, investors, scale-ups, listed companies, general counsel, valuation experts, and policymakers to examine how IP and intangible assets influence capital allocation decisions across the full investment lifecycle, from early growth and private capital to public markets.
The INTA Bulletin sat down with Safir Anand, senior partner at Anand & Anand, who will be moderating the fireside chat: How India’s IP Will Shape the Next Decade of Economic Power.
You’re moderating a fireside chat examining India’s transition from asset-heavy to intangible-led economic growth. What do you want registrants to takeaway from this session?
The fireside chat itself, How India’s IP Will Shape the Next Decade of Economic Power, is positioned as a high-level conversation linking IP to innovation, capital allocation, and long-term competitiveness, with a clear emphasis on India transitioning from an asset-heavy to an intangible-led economy. What that means in substance is that attendees are expected to rethink IP not as a legal compliance tool, but as a core driver of enterprise value and national economic power.
One of the central takeaways is likely to be that IP is now inseparable from capital markets and valuation. The broader workshop repeatedly ties intangible assets such as brands, patents, data, and software to investor confidence, IP office scrutiny, and deal-making.
I have always consistently been of the view that India historically underappreciated the monetization of IP, and that the awakening of capital markets is what will unlock real value.
Another key point is that India’s economic rise is fundamentally tied to its intangible ecosystem. The discussion explicitly connects IP to India’s global economic positioning and competitiveness. This aligns with the broader narrative that India’s growth, from tech to handicrafts to digital platforms, is being powered by protectable intangibles, whether in the form of innovation, cultural IP, or data-driven business models. In other words, IP is not just supporting growth; instead, it is likely to structure the next phase of India’s economic identity.
Equally important is the takeaway around governance and trust. There is a strong undercurrent that capital markets reward companies that can demonstrate credible ownership, disclosure, and management of IP. The explicit message to attendees is that IP strategy must now sit at the board level, not just with legal teams.
Finally, and perhaps most distinctively, the fireside chat is meant to instill a mindset shift that IP is no longer defensive, and instead is a form of offensive capital. It influences deal terms, financing structures, competitive moats, and even geopolitical positioning.
“One of the central takeaways is likely to be that IP is now inseparable from capital markets and valuation.”
How do you see the role of IP professionals evolving as Indian companies scale rapidly and increasingly access domestic and global capital markets?
For me, the evolution of IP professionals in India is closely tied to a larger structural shift. Companies are no longer scaling purely on operational strength, but on the credibility, defensibility, and ability to monetize their intangible assets. As Indian businesses increasingly tap domestic and global capital markets, IP professionals are expected to move well beyond their traditional roles as legal technicians and become strategic anchors within the growth story of the enterprise.
In my view, one of the most important transitions is from a protection-centric to a value-centric legal ecosystem. Historically, IP professionals in India were largely engaged in filing, prosecution, and enforcement. While these functions remain critical, they are no longer sufficient.
Investors, whether private equity funds, venture capital, or public market participants, now integrate IP as part of valuation, risk assessment, and long-term scalability. This means IP professionals must be able to articulate how an IP portfolio drives brand equity, how patents create entry barriers, or how data assets enhance platform value. In effect, they are becoming translators between legal rights and financial value.
Who will benefit from attending?
According to me, the fireside chat is not meant for a narrow legal audience, and it is intentionally designed for a cross-section of stakeholders who influence or depend on intangible value creation in India’s next growth phase.
At one level, it is clearly relevant for IP professionals and lawyers, but not in the traditional sense of learning doctrine or case law. The real benefit for them lies in understanding how their role is expanding into valuation, capital markets, and corporate strategy.
The workshop is also expected to be highly valuable for founders, start-up leaders, and business executives. As companies scale rapidly and prepare for funding rounds or public listings, their ability to demonstrate ownership and control over IP becomes critical. The fireside chat is meant to help this audience appreciate how IP can strengthen their fundraising narrative, create defensible moats, and ultimately influence enterprise valuation. In that sense, this workshop is as much a business discussion as it is a legal one.
Another key group that stands to benefit is investors, whether venture capital, private equity, or even public market participants. My broader thinking consistently emphasizes that India is entering a phase where intangible assets ought to play a decisive role in investment decisions.
The unifying thread is simple: if your work touches enterprise value in any form, then understanding IP is no longer optional, and this workshop is designed precisely for that shift in perspective.
etc. whilst wrongfully claiming to be part of our firm and making false claims and allegations.