Intellectual Property Leasing in Australia - Industry Market Research Report

Public property: Downstream demand builds on spectrum auction revenue to support growth

Intellectual property (IP) leasing firms lease their patents, trademarks, spectrum and other intangible property to businesses in exchange for payment. Climbing demand from downstream sectors, like professional, scientific and technical services, has buoyed industry performance in recent years. Industry revenue is expected to rise at an annualised 6.5% over the five years through 2023-24, to $4.2 billion. Over three-quarters of the industry's enterprises are expected to be non-employing in 2023-24. The tendency for non-employing owner-operators to take profit as imputed wages serves to lift the size of the industry's profit margins relative to the wider leasing industry. In recent years, high fees charged for IP leasing services and reductions to wage costs have elevated industry profitability.

Industry operators hold and lease intellectual property and other intangible assets, including patents, trademarks and radio spectrum. Operators lease the right to use their intangible assets to businesses in exchange for royalties or fees. The industry does not include revenue received from selling rights to media content and franchise systems.

This report covers the scope, size, disposition and growth of the industry including the key sensitivities and success factors. Also included are five year industry forecasts, growth rates and an analysis of the industry key players and their market shares.