As have a properly drafted contract protects your interest in business dealings, intellectual property protection is far greater than what you would have realise. Key skills, know-how and other processes, such as the way business owner do business, also have a value, as do assets such as relationships, branding and reputation which provide the route to commercialisation. A tangible monetary value can be assigned to these assets.

Credit: https://minutehack.com/guides/some-surprisingly-interesting-facts-about-intellectual-property