A tech firm in Nanyang, Henan province, recently secured 6 million yuan in intellectual property (IP) pledge loans using just two invention patents, providing much-needed liquidity for its research and development efforts. The company's leader credited the local market regulator for precisely connecting them with financial resources, turning intangible patents into tangible capital. Since the start of this year, the Nanyang Municipal Market Supervision Bureau has been actively unlocking the value of IP assets, enabling a growing number of science-driven enterprises to convert their "intellectual property" into "real assets."
IP pledge financing offers a practical solution for small and medium-sized tech enterprises that often struggle with limited physical assets, insufficient collateral, and difficult access to loans. To tackle these financing pain points, the Nanyang bureau has implemented a series of tailored measures this year, including a "combination punch" of initiatives designed to fit the region's industrial landscape and energize the growth of innovative businesses.
At the core of these efforts is strong leadership and strategic coordination. The bureau has made IP pledge financing a key focus of its party committee agenda and party-building projects. Top officials are personally leading the charge, while deputy leaders make regular visits to county-level regions to ensure policies are executed effectively and obstacles are resolved quickly. After a citywide conference on IP pledge financing, multiple counties and districts—including Xixia County, Neixiang County, Dengzhou City, and the Nanyang High-tech Industrial Development Zone—moved swiftly to roll out their own initiatives. They organized government-bank-enterprise forums, policy briefings, and targeted matchmaking events, creating a citywide push to expand IP-based lending.
The results have been impressive. So far, IP pledge financing in Nanyang has reached 130 million yuan, a 55% year-on-year increase, with both the scale and growth rate climbing steadily. The city's first IP pledge loan from Postal Savings Bank was issued in Guangong Industrial Park, opening new, asset-light financing channels for local tech companies.
To bridge the information gap between banks and businesses, the bureau conducted a comprehensive survey of patent-holding companies across the city, identifying financing needs totaling over 300 million yuan from 76 firms. This data was then shared directly with financial regulators and banks. Additionally, the bureau maintains a dynamic roster of dedicated IP liaison officers from 19 partner banks, facilitating smoother communication. By adopting a "whitelist plus precise matching" approach, the city has significantly boosted the success rate and efficiency of IP pledge financing deals, eliminating the previous trial-and-error process.
Beyond these efforts, Nanyang is also leveraging provincial-level subsidy policies to lower financing costs for businesses. Successful IP pledge deals have now been incorporated into key evaluation criteria for patent awards and science and technology project applications. These multiple policy benefits are delivering real advantages to innovative enterprises.
As a result, Nanyang has established a comprehensive IP financial services framework that operates at the municipal level, engages counties, fosters government-bank collaboration, and ultimately benefits businesses. Looking ahead, the Nanyang Municipal Market Supervision Bureau plans to continue innovating its IP financial services, improve the business environment, and further stimulate market vitality. The goal is to accelerate the transformation of "intellectual property" into "tangible assets," driving industrial upgrading and high-quality development of the local economy.