NatWest IP-Backed Loans: How to Apply and What You Need
NatWest launched its High Growth IP loan in England and Wales in January 2024. This guide covers what NatWest has published about the programme: eligibility, loan terms, the application process, and the loans it has announced. Terms change; confirm them with NatWest.
About the NatWest IP Finance Programme
NatWest launched its High Growth IP loan on 12 January 2024 for high-growth businesses in England and Wales. It uses valuations from the specialist IP valuer Inngot to identify and value the IP that could be taken as security.
NatWest first assesses an application against its standard lending criteria. Only if it cannot meet the borrowing need on conventional security does it consider lending against the value of qualifying IP.
NatWest’s published list of qualifying IP is fully owned, revenue-generating software; owned patents, copyright and trademarks; and owned registered designs. The IP is revalued annually while the loan runs.
NatWest IP Loan Eligibility Criteria
NatWest’s published criteria are below, from its January 2024 launch release and April 2024 product sheet. Other conditions of credit sanction may apply; confirm current terms with NatWest.
| Criterion | Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Business Registration | Limited company or LLP | England and Wales only (in Scotland, see the Royal Bank of Scotland product) |
| High Growth | 20% year-on-year turnover growth over three consecutive years (minimum turnover £250K) and/or at least £50K equity or grant investment in the last two years | NatWest’s definition of “high growth” |
| Conventional Lending First | IP is considered only if NatWest cannot meet the need on conventional security | Applications are first assessed against standard lending criteria |
| IP Types | Fully owned revenue-generating software; owned patents, copyright, trademarks and registered designs | Inngot gives a free initial validation that the IP can be taken as security |
| IP Valuation | Valued by Inngot | Fee of £890 plus VAT, paid to Inngot (April 2024 product sheet) |
| Loan Size | From £250K, up to 50% of the IP value in the Inngot report | Product sheet: where the IP is valued above £500K, up to 50% over four years |
The NatWest Application Process
From initial enquiry to drawdown, the NatWest IP-backed loan process follows these five stages.
Initial Enquiry and Screening
Speak to your NatWest relationship manager about booking an assessment. Provide a summary of your IP portfolio, recent accounts, and the amount you wish to borrow. NatWest first checks whether it can lend on its standard criteria before considering your IP.
IP Valuation
If you meet the criteria, NatWest refers you to its third-party valuer, Inngot, which validates the IP free of charge and then values it for a fee of £890 plus VAT, paid directly to Inngot (April 2024 product sheet). Understanding your own intangible assets first, for example in Opagio Intangibles, helps you prepare for this stage.
Legal Due Diligence
NatWest’s legal team reviews IP ownership, registration status, existing encumbrances, and the ability to perfect security interests. The borrower’s solicitors provide a legal opinion confirming clear title and enforceability.
Credit Committee Approval
The IP valuation, legal opinion, and credit analysis are presented to NatWest’s credit committee. The committee determines the approved facility amount, LTV ratio, term, and covenants.
Documentation and Drawdown
Loan agreement and IP security documentation are executed. Security interests are registered at the UKIPO and Companies House. Funds are released to the borrower. NatWest establishes ongoing monitoring requirements including annual IP revaluation.
NatWest IP Lending Case Studies
NatWest has published these loans under the programme. The IP in each was valued by Inngot. Opagio was not involved in these loans.
Shade Station — £1.35M
Manchester online eyewear retailer. Secured a £1.35M loan using its proprietary software and registered trademarks as collateral, with the IP valued by Inngot. The funds support international expansion, AI-driven e-commerce and a new smart eyewear platform (NatWest, February 2026).
Sci-Net — £700K
Oxfordshire software company Sci-Net Business Solutions took NatWest’s first IP-backed loan, £700K based on Inngot’s valuation of its IP. The loan funds growth in its customer base and development of its ERP software (NatWest, 2024).
Architectural Commitments for Credit and Risk Reviewers
For lenders’ credit and risk teams reviewing a valuation report prepared with Opagio, three architectural commitments are relevant.
Reproducible and Deterministic
The Opagio Classification Engine is deterministic today. Re-running the same general-ledger data produces the same Opagio Value Drivers Register and the same formal valuations. That reproducibility is audit-trail quality for a credit-committee memo.
EEA Data Residency
Customer data in our database is stored in the European Economic Area, on Google Cloud’s eur3 multi-region (Belgium and the Netherlands). Where a feature needs language processing, limited task-specific extracts go to the AI sub-processors listed in our Data Processing Agreement; full general ledgers stay on our infrastructure. Details: Security.
Patent-Pending Methodology
The methodology is the subject of UK patent application GB2607796.6, filed with the UK IPO. The valuation output is not a wrapper on top of a third-party vendor’s model versioning, rate limits, or content-policy changes. For a reviewer relying on a valuation report prepared with Opagio, that independence is material.
A full technical brief on data sovereignty and methodology protection is available for your risk and data-governance colleagues on request. Contact ivan@opag.io.
Related Resources
IP-Backed Lending Overview
Compare UK IP lending programmes: NatWest, the Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC UK, the British Business Bank and other lenders.
IP Loan Eligibility Check
Self-assessment to determine whether your IP portfolio qualifies for IP-backed lending.
Borrower’s Guide
How to prepare your intangible assets for lending: the 5-step process from valuation to drawdown.
Prepare your IP for a NatWest application
Opagio Intangibles values your IP portfolio before you approach NatWest, with the structured evidence lenders expect.