The UK energy sector is suffering from a widening funding divide, with companies that secure IP outpacing non‑filers in the race for investment, a shift most visible in Scotland, where clean‑tech firms are pulling in a growing share of capital, according to a new report from Marks & Clerk.

Working in collaboration with Beauhurst, the IP consultancy’s latest whitepaper, Innovation in the UK’s Energy Sector 2026, found that £15.3 billion has been raised by innovative UK energy companies since 2015, with patent filing firms seeing more than half (53%) of that cash.

Across 3,674 fundraising rounds, the study found that companies filing patents consistently raised more per round, averaging £4.81 million compared with £3.63 million for firms without IP secured.

Scotland’s energy sector is being heavily shaped by its natural resources, according to the report, with more than 81% of firms operating in the cleantech sector, and 67% specifically within renewable energy. 

As of 2025, more than three-quarters of these Scottish energy companies (77%) have secured IP, anchoring the sector in innovation and protected technology and placing it far ahead of London. Although the capital is home to the lion’s share of active energy companies (more than 4,300 to Scotland’s 1,681), just 41% have filed patents.  

According to the report, Scottish Enterprise dominates the investment picture north of the border, with a smaller share provided by Edinburgh‑based angel syndicate Equity Gap. Taking their portfolios together shows a clear tilt toward IP‑backed companies, with 65% of funded firms having secured patents – a figure that far outstrips the UK average.

Marks & Clerk argue that as companies with clear IP strategies increasingly win competitive funding rounds, what was once a legal safeguard has evolved into a decisive factor shaping investment decisions within the energy industry.

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The report claims that in a volatile funding environment, patent ownership acts as a signal of commercial maturity and scalability, and provides investors with clear pathways to returns and evidence of long-term commercial potential.

Describing patents as a “golden ticket”, Marks & Clerk said this means a wider adoption of IP analytics among energy investors is likely as they hunt for an edge in deal selection, a self-reinforcing cycle that will end with the funding gap between the IP-haves and have-nots widening further.

“IP continues to provide companies with a strategic advantage, enabling them to shape their commercial direction with confidence and clarity,” said Andrew Docherty, head of energy and environment at Marks & Clerk.

“Investors are increasingly focused on the presence of patents and the role they play in supporting long-term growth and global expansion.”