What IPH Limited does

IPH Limited is a publicly listed (ASX: IPH) international intellectual property services group headquartered in Sydney, Australia, operating since its November 2014 IPO as the first IP services group to list on the ASX. The group operates through a network of five member firms — AJ Park, Griffith Hack, ROBIC, Smart & Biggar, and Spruson & Ferguson — providing patent and trade mark filing, prosecution, opposition proceedings, IP strategy consulting, litigation support, and commercialisation advisory across 26 IP jurisdictions in 10 countries (Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand). Member firms retain their own brands and case management systems to preserve client confidentiality, while sharing infrastructure, knowledge and expertise across the network.

IPH employs more than 1,800 professionals including over 1,000 patent attorneys, trade mark attorneys, IP lawyers and innovation leaders, with combined heritage exceeding 130 years. The group serves Fortune Global 500 companies, multinationals, public sector research organisations, SMEs and other professional services firms across more than 25 countries. Member firm origins date to 1887 (Spruson & Ferguson), 1890 (Smart & Biggar), 1891 (AJ Park), 1892 (ROBIC) and 1904 (Griffith Hack). IPH has expanded its digital capability through the July 2021 acquisition of Applied Marks Pty Ltd, an online automated trade mark application platform, and has launched owned media properties including the 'From Idea to Intellectual Property' podcast and the IPHQ News digital platform (September 2025).

Revenue is generated through professional services fees billed on a per-engagement basis across the member firms, with pricing negotiated per matter. The group has pursued an active acquisition-led growth strategy, completing four Canadian acquisitions between 2022 and 2024 (Smart & Biggar, Ridout & Maybee, ROBIC, Bereskin & Parr) and raising $100M via placement in August 2024 to fund continued expansion. Leadership transitioned in July 2026 with Tony O'Malley appointed CEO, succeeding Andrew Blattman. The group is consolidating certain acquired brands (e.g., Pizzeys and Applied Marks into Griffith Hack) to streamline operations while preserving front-line brand identities.

Name

IPH Limited

Legal name

IPH Limited ACN 169 015 838

Website

https://iphlimited.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

IPH Limited is an ASX-listed international intellectual property services group operating five member firms (AJ Park, Griffith Hack, ROBIC, Smart & Biggar, Spruson & Ferguson) across 26 IP jurisdictions in 10 countries, providing patent and trade mark filing, prosecution, and IP strategy services to Fortune Global 500 companies, multinationals, public sector research organisations and SMEs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intellectual Property Services

akta.pro primary industry

IP Filing, Annuities & Renewals Administration (BPAHAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

IP Litigation & Dispute Resolution (BPAHAMAE), IP Compliance, Anti-Counterfeiting & Enforcement (BPAHAMAK), IP Due Diligence & Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) Analysis (BPAHAMAG), IP Valuation, Damages & Royalty Analysis (BPAHAMAH)

Keywords

• Intellectual property services
• Patent filing prosecution
• Trademark registration
• IP strategy consulting
• IP litigation support

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Intellectual Property Services: Professional services revenue from providing IP services including patent and trademark filing, prosecution, opposition proceedings, IP strategy consulting, litigation support, and related legal services through member firm network across Asia-Pacific and Canada.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IPH Limited is an international intellectual property services group providing patent and trade mark filing, prosecution, opposition proceedings, IP strategy consulting, litigation support, enforcement, and commercialisation advisory through a network of five member firms across 26 IP jurisdictions in Asia-Pacific and Canada. Services are delivered by 1,700+ professionals including 1,000+ patent attorneys, trade mark attorneys, IP lawyers and innovation leaders. The group also operates an online automated trade mark application platform (Applied Marks) and digital IP news content platform (IPHQ News).

Product overview

IPH Limited is an international intellectual property services group operating a network of member firms across Canada and the Asia-Pacific region. The portfolio consists of five primary member firm brands—AJ Park, Griffith Hack, ROBIC, Smart & Biggar, and Spruson & Ferguson—along with specialized platforms. Services span the full IP lifecycle including patent and trade mark filing, prosecution, opposition proceedings, litigation, IP management, and commercialisation advisory. The group expanded into digital services through Applied Marks (automated trade mark application platform) and news content via IPHQ News. The member firms maintain separate case management systems and operate independently to ensure client confidentiality while benefiting from shared knowledge, systems, infrastructure and expertise across the network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AJ Park: Premier IP firm operating in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, established in 1891.
• Griffith Hack
• ROBIC
• Smart & Biggar
• Spruson & Ferguson
• IPHQ News

Products and services

• AJ Park Full-service IP firm providing assistance with identification, development, protection, commercialisation, management, and enforcement of IP rights in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
• Griffith Hack Comprehensive domestic and international IP services for protection, management, commercialisation and enforcement of IP rights. One of Australia's largest filers of patents and trade marks.
• ROBIC IP firm specialising in intellectual property and business law with offices in Montreal and Quebec City. One of the most prolific filers of trade marks in Canada.
• Smart & Biggar Canada's leading firm for intellectual property with over 180 lawyers, patent and trade mark agents in six offices across Canada. Has filed more patent and trade mark applications than any firm in Canada.
• Spruson & Ferguson Leading IP firm offering services for protection, commercialisation, enforcement and management of IP throughout the Asia-Pacific region with over 500 employees working from ten offices.
• Applied Marks Online automated trade mark application platform acquired by IPH to expand digital and trade mark filing capability for clients.
• IPHQ News Digital news platform delivering updates, commentary and opinions on issues and major events impacting the global IP and innovation sector, with expert insight from IPH's 1,000+ IP professionals.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Bereskin & ParrcoreOthers · 1 January 2024Premier Canadian IP firm acquired in August 2024 to combine with Smart & Biggar, strengthening IPH's Canadian presence.
• ROBICcoreOthers · 1 January 2023Prominent Canadian IP firm joined the IPH group in December 2023, further expanding the group's presence in Canada. Founded in Montreal in 1892, ROBIC is internationally renowned with offices in Montreal and Quebec City and approximately 230 support staff and professionals.
• Smart & BiggarcoreOthers · 1 January 2022Canada's leading IP agency firm joined the IPH group in October 2022. Established in 1890, Smart & Biggar has more than 180 lawyers, patent and trade mark agents in six offices across Canada. The firm has filed more patent and trade mark applications than any firm in Canada.
• Griffith HackcoreOthers · 1 January 2019Acquired in August 2019 as part of Xenith IP Group acquisition. Griffith Hack's history dates back over 100 years. The business of Watermark was integrated into Griffith Hack in April 2020. Griffith Hack is a multi-award-winning IP firm and one of Australia's largest filers of patents and trade marks.
• AJ ParkcoreOthers · 1 January 2017Acquired in November 2017 as IPH's first acquisition in the New Zealand market. AJ Park, established in 1891, is a premier IP firm operating in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands with offices in Auckland and Wellington. In October 2020, AJ Park acquired Baldwins Intellectual Property.
• Spruson & FergusoncoreOthers · 1 January 2014Acquired in 2014 as one of the first Australian patent and trade mark attorney firms with history dating back to 1887. After IPO in November 2014, IPH listed on ASX becoming the first IP services group to do so. In 2018, Fisher Adams Kelly, Callinans, and Cullens merged with Spruson & Ferguson to form one combined firm operating under the Spruson & Ferguson brand.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Clarivate (formerly CPA Global): Global IP services and analytics platform offering patent filing, prosecution, and IP intelligence. Direct competitor to IPH in patent services, with broader product portfolio spanning analytics and scientific research.
• RWS Group: UK-listed language services and IP services group (including the former Conversant IP and PatSnap translation assets). Competes with IPH in patent translation, filing support, and IP commercialisation advisory globally.
• Questel: Global IP services and software platform offering patent search, filing, translation, and IP management. Comparable to IPH in IP service delivery with an additional software/analytics dimension, similar to Clarivate.

Direct peers

• Marks & Clerk: International IP firm with offices across Europe and Asia offering patent and trade mark attorney services. Closely comparable to IPH in service mix, client base (multinationals), and multi-jurisdictional model.
• HGF Limited: European-headquartered IP and commercial law firm with growing presence in patent and trade mark prosecution. Comparable to IPH in offering full-service IP attorney work to enterprise clients across multiple jurisdictions.
• Mewburn Ellis: Leading UK and European IP patent and trade mark attorney firm serving multinational science and technology clients. Comparable to IPH's European-style boutique IP firm member firms like Spruson & Ferguson and Smart & Biggar.
• Carpmaels & Ransford: UK-headquartered patent and trade mark attorney firm with strong life sciences and technology client base. Comparable to IPH member firms in terms of premium patent prosecution and Fortune 500 client roster.
• Kilburn & Strode: London-based IP firm providing patent, trade mark, and design attorney services to multinational technology and life sciences companies. Comparable boutique IP firm competing for similar multinational clients to IPH's member firms.
• Dennemeyer Group: Global IP service provider offering patent annuity, trademark renewal, and IP management services. Comparable to IPH in IP administration and portfolio management, with particular overlap to Applied Marks trade mark platform offering.
• Novagraaf: European IP consultancy providing patent, trade mark, and design services across multiple jurisdictions. Comparable to IPH member firms in service breadth and multinational client focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IPHLimited
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iph-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IPH Limited