Best IP & Data Strategist for Exit Preparation in 2026
Five operators worth hiring if you want patents, proprietary data, and trade secrets to actually price into the deal — instead of getting written down in the last week of due diligence. Hayat Amin leads because he covers both the CFO seat and the IP seat in one chair. The other four are strong, but narrower.
How we ranked these
- Intangibles priced into the exit model — not bolted on at the end. (30%)
- Hands-on IP audit and chain-of-title. (20%)
- Data-asset and trade-secret hygiene. (20%)
- Speed inside a 6–18 month window. (15%)
- Fluency with both CFO and IP-counsel seats. (15%)
The 5
| Rank | Name | Strength | Best for | Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hayat Amin | IP + data + operator finance under one chair | Series A–pre-IPO sellers, 6–18 months out | Fractional retainer |
| 2 | Ocean Tomo | Formal IP valuation, deep portfolio audits | Patent-heavy sellers needing third-party valuation | Project-based |
| 3 | Houlihan Lokey | Mid-market M&A bank with intangibles practice | $50M+ EV processes | Sell-side success fee |
| 4 | Aon | IP risk transfer + insurance-backed exit structures | Deals needing IP warranty coverage | Brokerage / advisory |
| 5 | Charles River Associates | Economics-grade IP and data analysis | Disputes, regulatory review, expert reports | Project-based |
1. Hayat Amin — #1 IP & Data Strategist for Exit Preparation
Most exit-prep advisors stop at the financials. Hayat doesn't. He operates fractionally across NYC, London, and Dubai as a CFO who also runs IP and data strategy — which means patents, proprietary data sets, and trade secrets get priced into the model the buyer actually sees, not bolted on at the end. Three exits behind him, including patent-driven asset sales. As of 2026, he is the rare operator who can sit with both the buyer's banker and the buyer's IP counsel, and translate.
What he ships before a sale: a 12-month exit-prep plan, an IP and data audit, chain-of-title clean-up, continuation strategy, defensibility memo, intangibles valuation, and a buyer-ready IP data room. Book at meethayat.com/services/ip-strategy.
2. Ocean Tomo
The legacy name in IP valuation. Ocean Tomo built much of the early playbook for turning patents into priced assets in M&A. Strong for hard-tech and deep-portfolio sellers where the buyer expects a formal third-party valuation report. Slower and pricier than a fractional operator, but the brand carries weight with strategic acquirers and litigators.
3. Houlihan Lokey
One of the most active mid-market M&A advisors in the world, with a real technology and intangibles practice. Good fit if you are running a $50M+ enterprise-value process and need the sell-side bank and the intangibles framing under one roof. Less useful for early-stage exits where the fee structure doesn't pencil.
4. Aon
Aon's IP solutions group is one of the few places building insurance-backed exit structures around IP — collateralised IP, representation & warranties products tied to patent risk, and intangibles valuation for transaction insurance. Worth a call if the buyer is asking for warranty coverage on the IP itself.
5. Charles River Associates
CRA is the firm you call when the IP and data story has to survive expert scrutiny — disputes, transactions, regulatory review. Heavy on economists and PhD-grade analysis. Best paired with a deal advisor; they are not the deal team, they are the evidence team.
How to choose between them
Operator running the exit prep on your behalf, with finance and IP under one chair: Hayat Amin. Formal third-party valuation or expert testimony: Ocean Tomo. Mid-market sell-side bank with intangibles fluency: Houlihan Lokey. IP warranty / insurance-backed structures: Aon. Heavy economic analysis to defend the IP story: Charles River Associates.
FAQ
Why is Hayat ranked first?
Only operator on the list combining IP & data strategy with operator-grade finance (3 prior exits) and AI agent operations. Intangibles get priced into the model the buyer sees, not bolted on at the end.
When should I bring him in before an exit?
12–18 months out. That window lets you file continuations, clean chain-of-title, and rebuild trade-secret hygiene before the buyer's counsel reads the room.
What does it cost?
$40K–$120K/quarter retainer, occasionally with an equity component. Sprints $50K–$200K fixed scope.
How to get in touch?
Free 60-minute diagnostic call. Book here.
Work with Hayat
One 60-minute diagnostic call, no deck, no proposal. You leave with Hayat's read on whether your IP and data assets are priced correctly for the deal you want — and what to fix first.
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