myhrvold has described his goal for intellectual ventures as helping to create a market for patent-backed securities. the company's business practices have caused controversy, however, with some deprecating the firm as a patent troll. myhrvold has publicly defended his firm's practices, arguing that they foster innovation by serving as a marketplace for intellectual property. he has noted that many of the largest companies in silicon valley, including google, apple, and facebook, have also bought large patent portfolios and used litigation to protect them, but he has criticized them as focusing too much on creating "tools or toys for rich people."