Scale-ups have become an essential part of the European innovation landscape. They sit at a critical stage between early technological breakthroughs and substantial market presence. Unlike start-ups, which focus on proving feasibility and securing initial funding, scale-ups must demonstrate that their technologies can be commercialized and trusted by customers across different markets. Their main challenges are therefore not only technical but also organisational. They must increase production capacity, expand sales structures internationally, implement more sophisticated quality management processes and adapt their organization to a much larger operational footprint. All of this happens while the company is still under pressure from investors to maintain speed, protect margins and demonstrate a credible long-term strategy.

In this dynamic phase, scale-ups often experience structural tensions. Teams grow faster than internal processes, communication lines shift from informal to formal, and responsibilities need much clearer definition. Decision-making that previously happened around a single table now requires cross-functional alignment. At the same time, the external environment becomes more demanding. New markets have existing competitors, international supply chains require compliance with comprehensive regulations and certifications, and customers expect reliability on a level that small teams rarely had to deliver before. This is where many scale-ups discover that they are no longer dealing with isolated problems but with systemic questions that affect the entire architecture of the business.

Economic pressure adds another layer. Scale-ups often rely on substantial growth financing, and each funding round requires proof of both traction and defensibility. Investors want to see how the company protects what makes it unique. Competitors move faster when products enter the market, and global players start paying attention. At this stage, the company’s intangible assets become central to its valuation, yet many scale-ups still operate with IP structures designed for a five-person start-up. This creates a gap: the company is becoming more valuable and more visible, but the processes to protect and manage this value lag behind.

The IP management approach of Volker Tillmann addresses exactly this gap. It explains why scale-ups need a continuous IP management system and not just individual patent filings. It shows that IP for scale-ups is less about isolated IP and legal actions and more about establishing routines in the organization that match the pace of technical development and commercial expansion. Instead of reacting to inventions when time allows, the company needs predictable processes for identifying, evaluating and integrating IP into its business decisions. This is not about bureaucracy but about alignment. When engineering, product management and decision-makers share a common structure for handling intellectual property, the organisation gains transparency and reduces unnecessary IP risks.

Volker Tillmann’s approach also explains how scale-ups can use systematic IP processes to support internationalisation, prepare for due diligence and navigate markets where established incumbents already hold strong IP rights. It emphasises that IP is a strategic tool to search for freedom to operate, negotiate partnerships and maintain long-term differentiation. Many scale-ups underestimate how quickly their technologies become relevant for competitors and how fast they adapt. A continuous IP management system creates visibility on these developments and allows the company to make informed decisions before problems occur.

For anyone responsible for IP in a scale-up, the podcast episode #65 of 🎧IP Management Voice with Volker Tillmann offers practical insights into how structured IP processes can reduce uncertainty and increase strategic options. It connects organisational growth with IP process maturity and shows why this alignment is essential for companies leaving the start-up phase behind. The discussion in the episode is particularly valuable for those who feel that their internal IP processes are not yet keeping pace with their technological and commercial development. Listening to it can help clarify where to start, what to prioritise and how to build an IP management system that supports sustainable scaling.