When 27 of the world’s largest technology companies pool their resources to buy or license patents, the results speak for themselves. Allied Security Trust’s eleventh annual Industry Patent Purchase & Licensing Program (IP3) has just posted its strongest numbers ever, signaling that collaborative patent defense is not just surviving—it’s scaling up dramatically.
Allied Security Trust (AST) has announced the conclusion of voting for its eleventh annual Industry Patent Purchase & Licensing Program (IP3). When the votes were tallied at the September 30 session, 27 AST member companies had reviewed a total of 1,384 accepted lots, representing 1,493 patent families, 1,778 active U.S. patents and 3,078 worldwide assets. From that pool, they selected 70 lots for either outright acquisition or group licensing. Members collectively invested $5.625 million across 89 patent families, 137 U.S. patents and 186 active assets, with 41 lots acquired and 29 secured through group sublicenses. All transactions are expected to be finalized by the end of 2026.
IP3 2026 now stands as the most successful iteration in the program’s 11-year history, topping all prior years in both the number of deals selected and total capital deployed. The $5.625 million investment marks a 9% increase over the $5.139 million invested in IP3 2025 and a 34% jump above the $4.2 million recorded in IP3 2024. Deal volume surged even more dramatically: 70 deals this year compared to 47 in 2025—a 49% leap—and 51 in 2024. Group sublicenses made up 41% of 2026 deals, climbing from 30% the previous year.
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The IP3 program serves as a marketplace connecting patent owners with a consortium of leading technology companies through either fixed-price purchases or group licensing arrangements. During the 2026 cycle, AST’s intake team processed more than 1,500 submissions from over 220 sellers and 30 brokers.
• Pricing: Deal prices ranged from $8,000 to $350,000, with an average of $80,357 per lot and $63,202 per patent family.
• Participation: 27 member companies participated, including Cisco, Google, IBM, Intel, Meta, Microsoft, Oracle, Snap, Sony, Spotify, Uber and Verizon.
Collaboration drove the outcomes
Member cooperation was a central factor in this year’s results. Lots that drew interest from multiple members were significantly more likely to be selected than those appealing to just one. On average, 3.6 members shared the cost of each deal.
Where members invested
Wireless, Telecom & Networking emerged as the most active technology zone with 19 deals, followed by Content Distribution & Advertising (10 deals), and three zones tied at 9 deals each: Cloud Computing, Hardware & Software, and Semiconductor, Lighting & Optoelectronics. Several closely watched areas drew particular attention:
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning: Submissions in the zone encompassing AI/ML grew 33% to 200 lots, and members selected five AI/ML lots.
• Semiconductors: The largest zone in the program at 371 lots (27% of submissions) produced nine deals.
• Streaming and content: Content distribution, streaming and media-processing lots attracted some of the broadest co-funding, with 10 deals averaging 3.8 participating members each.
Universities accounted for 36 of the 70 selected lots (51%), and universities and research institutions together submitted 69% of all lots.
“IP3 2026 shows the collaborative model working at scale. Our members selected 70 deals, nearly 50% more than last year, and group licensing gave patent owners and members a flexible path to a fair price. Patent owners get a clear, efficient route to market, and members get proactive protection at a shared cost. I congratulate our members and the AST team on a record year,” said Russell W. Binns Jr., CEO of AST.
“IP3 2026 showed what happens when members have good information and a clear process. They reviewed 1,384 lots, converged on 242 that mattered most to them, and then pooled capital to fund 70 deals. The more members who saw value in a lot, the more likely it was to get done, and that is the point of a collaborative model,” said Mihir Patel, Executive Vice President, Licensing & Analytics at AST.
In line with AST’s catch-and-release model, all acquired portfolios will be made available for resale or licensing and can be viewed by prospective members, potential buyers or their representatives at www.ast.com/acquired-portfolios.
IP3 is one part of AST’s year-round activity. AST remains one of the most active buyers in the patent industry, acquiring patent rights and securing sublicenses on behalf of its members through its Standard Program. Patent owners, universities and brokers do not need to wait for the next IP3 cycle: submit your lots to AST whenever you are ready to sell or license at www.ast.com/sell-to-ast.
ABOUT ALLIED SECURITY TRUST (AST)
AST, a member-driven cooperative established in 2007, reduces patent risk for the world’s leading technology companies through cost-shared patent acquisitions and licenses. Its membership includes more than 30 multinational companies across diverse industries. AST is a not-for-profit Delaware statutory trust. For more information, visit www.ast.com.
Russ Binns
Allied Security Trust (AST)
binns@ast.com
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Why it matters: As patent litigation costs continue to climb, AST’s record-breaking IP3 results demonstrate that collaborative, cost-shared defense is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative for major tech companies. The surge in group licensing deals, in particular, points to a shift away from adversarial patent battles and toward cooperative solutions that benefit both patent owners and the companies that need to manage risk.
