Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products for creating and valuating intellectual property rights-based financial instruments, including patent futures, options, swaps, and the like, are disclosed. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a “patent derivative” to allow investors (e.g., venture capitalist) to hedge their risk in investing in a high-technology, start-up company with no issued patents, but with one or more pending patent applications. The system includes databases for IP rights and financial information, as well as a central processing trading server that is accessible via internal and external workstations. The workstations provide a graphical user interface to enter a series of inputs and receive information (i.e., output) concerning such a financial instrument.