Sherwood Australia runs structured, confidential sale processes for IP and the businesses built on it. Patents, trademarks, technology platforms, data assets, and IP-rich companies: when the value sits in the IP, the sale needs an advisor who can prove that value and defend it at the negotiating table.
We work with founders, corporates and research organisations across all industries. If you're considering a sale, now or in the next two years, start with a confidential conversation.
Get a confidential assessmentOr call Anthony directly: +61 492 280 220
We work with founders, shareholders and institutions who hold IP with real commercial value and are ready to consider a sale, whether that's the IP itself, a carve-out, or the whole business behind it.
Our clients typically have:
If that sounds like you, we should talk.
Selling IP is a high-stakes, often once-only event. We manage every stage with the discipline of a formal transaction process. A typical sale takes 3–6 months from engagement to completion.
We start with what the IP is worth: an independent, AFSL-licensed valuation that anchors the entire process. We then build the materials that prove it, including the commercial story, revenue attribution, and the information memorandum and data room buyers expect.
We approach only pre-qualified, logical buyers: strategic acquirers, existing and prospective licensees, private equity, and international buyers via the Sherwood Global Partners network. Confidentiality is maintained throughout, and we manage the Q&A process, buyer meetings, and non-binding offers.
We narrow to a preferred buyer and manage final due diligence, deal structure (outright assignment, sale-and-licence-back, milestone or royalty components), and legal documentation through to completion. We stay in the room until the deal is done.
Every asset is different. Here is a selection of transactions we've advised, each one a complex, high-stakes process managed from strategy through to completion.
Advised a specialist advanced manufacturing business on its transition from a Tier 2 to Tier 1 defence supplier, including strategic planning, capital restructuring, and full preparation for an international sale process. The business's manufacturing capabilities and global aerospace relationships attracted a US-backed strategic acquirer, enabling geographic expansion across military, commercial, and space markets. The transaction delivered a substantial valuation uplift for shareholders.
End-to-end transaction support for the divestment of a specialist training business — preparing it for sale, positioning its internationally recognised capabilities, and negotiating transaction terms with a strategic buyer seeking to expand its training portfolio. The process maintained full confidentiality while creating competitive tension among a targeted list of pre-qualified buyers.
Provided corporate finance support to management in executing a cross-border MBO, including valuation guidance, deal structuring across multiple jurisdictions, and negotiation with the exiting shareholder. The transaction established a focused ownership structure for a clinical-stage asset, aligning ownership with those best positioned to advance the program and attract future capital.
The right buyer isn't always the most obvious one. We build a targeted, pre-qualified list of the most likely, and highest-value, acquirers for your specific asset:
Through Sherwood Global Partners, we have active teams in Belgium (SGP Europe), China (SGP Asia), the United States (SGP North America), and Australia (SGP Oceania). When your ideal buyer is overseas, we already have the relationships to reach them.
Most business owners sell once. Most business brokers list and wait. Sherwood runs a structured, confidential, investment-bank-grade process — without the Big 4 price tag or the conflict of interest that comes with it.
We do not list your IP publicly. We approach a carefully selected, pre-qualified list of buyers — protecting your confidentiality and preventing market rumours that can destabilise your business during a sale process.
Anthony Vago leads every engagement personally. We run the Q&A process, manage the data room, coordinate advisors, and keep the transaction moving — so you can keep running your business while the deal gets done.
Unlike most advisors, we hold an AFSL licence (No. 563351) and have delivered 250+ independent business valuations. That means we go into every negotiation with a defensible, expert view of what your business is worth — and we protect it.
We bring international buyer access through Sherwood Global Partners — active in four continents — while remaining small enough that you always know who is working on your transaction and what's happening next.
"Anthony and the Sherwood team helped us find a buyer who truly aligned with our values and long-term vision. They also negotiated terms we wouldn't have known to ask for — the result was beyond what we expected."
"The Sherwood team made a complex process feel clear and manageable. They were with us every step of the way."
"We'd been through an unsuccessful sale process before engaging Sherwood. They repositioned how we went to market, ran a structured process that created real competition, and achieved an outcome that exceeded what we thought possible."
Can I sell my IP without selling the business?
Yes. IP can be sold by assignment while the business continues to operate, often with a licence back so you keep using what you've sold. Carve-outs, partial assignments and field-of-use splits are all on the table. Structuring this well is most of the value we add.
How long does an IP sale take?
A typical process takes 3–6 months from engagement to completion, though complex assets or cross-border buyers can take longer. We run a structured, phase-by-phase process specifically to keep the timeline efficient.
Do I need a valuation before I start?
We recommend it, and we provide it. An independent, AFSL-licensed valuation gives you a defensible anchor in negotiations and signals credibility to serious buyers. It also frequently identifies value that wasn't being counted.
Will my competitors find out my IP is for sale?
No. We do not advertise or publicly list assets. We approach only a carefully selected, pre-qualified list of potential acquirers under strict confidentiality agreements.
What if I want to sell the whole business?
We do that too. Where the business itself is the asset, we run the full sell-side process: preparation, buyer origination, negotiation, and completion. Most of our sale work involves companies where IP, technology or capability drives the value, but the process discipline applies to any well-run business.
Tell us a little about your situation and Anthony Vago will be in touch — confidential, no obligation. Prefer to talk? Call +61 492 280 220 or email anthony@sherwoodaustralia.com.au.
