Checklists Convert IP Knowledge Into Action

IP protection is only as good as its execution. Checklists ensure critical IP tasks happen at the right time — especially in fast-moving startups where legal tasks are easily deferred. Use these as working documents: assign owners, set deadlines, track completion.

Checklist 1 — Pre-Launch IP

  • 1
    Co-founder IP assignment agreements signed by all founders
    Covers all pre-existing and all future IP. Must be signed before equity is issued — not after.
  • 2
    Trademark clearance search completed
    Search at Trade Marks Registry, Google, and marketplaces. No conflicts identified or assessed and cleared.
  • 3
    Trademark application filed — Form TM-A
    Filed in all relevant Nice Classification classes. DPIIT certificate number included for rebate.
  • 4
    Domain names registered — .com, .in, .co.in and key variants
    All registered in the company name, not a founder's personal name.
  • 5
    DPIIT recognition applied for
    Recognition received. Certificate number recorded for all IP filings.
  • 6
    Patent search completed for core technology
    Prior art search conducted. Patentability assessment from qualified patent attorney received.
  • 7
    Provisional patent application filed (if applicable)
    Priority date secured before any public disclosure of the invention.
  • 8
    NDA system in place
    Mutual and one-way NDA templates ready. Signed before every investor and partner conversation.

Checklist 2 — Brand Launch IP

  • 1
    Trademark application filed before launch announcement
    TM symbol in use on all materials from filing date.
  • 2
    Logo copyright documented
    Signed IP assignment from the designer. Copyright registration at copyright.gov.in recommended.
  • 3
    Social media handles secured across all platforms
    Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube — consistent handle on all platforms.
  • 4
    Website has copyright notice, T&C, and Privacy Policy
    All three present, legally compliant, dated for current year.
  • 5
    All marketing content properly licensed
    Images, fonts, music — licence type confirmed for each asset.

Checklist 3 — Investor Due Diligence IP Readiness

  • 1
    IP asset inventory prepared
    All registered IP listed with registration numbers, jurisdictions, expiry dates.
  • 2
    Chain of title verified for all material IP
    Assignment agreements from all founders, employees, and freelancers confirmed.
  • 3
    Open-source compliance audit completed
    All components identified with licences. No GPL/AGPL issues outstanding.
  • 4
    All IP registered in company name
    Not in founder personal names. Trademarks, domains, patents confirmed as company assets.
  • 5
    All IP disputes documented with status assessment
    Opposition proceedings, infringement claims, threats — all disclosed and assessed.
  • 6
    FTO analysis completed (Series A and beyond)
    Freedom-to-operate opinion from qualified patent attorney in writing.

Checklist 4 — Employee IP Onboarding

  • 1
    Employment agreement with IP assignment clause signed before Day 1
    Not on Day 1 — before Day 1. No exceptions.
  • 2
    Confidentiality obligations explained at onboarding
    Employee understands what is confidential and what their obligations are.
  • 3
    System access provisioned on need-to-know basis
    No access to sensitive IP systems beyond functional requirement.
  • 4
    Moonlighting policy communicated and acknowledged
    Employee aware of disclosure requirement for any secondary employment.

Checklist 5 — Website IP Compliance

  • 1
    Copyright notice in footer — current year and company name
    Format: © 2026 [Company Name]. All rights reserved.
  • 2
    Terms of Service present and IT Rules 2021 compliant
    User conduct, IP ownership, limitation of liability, governing law all included.
  • 3
    Privacy Policy compliant with IT Rules 2021 and DPDP Act
    Data collection, processing, retention, and user rights clearly stated.
  • 4
    Grievance Officer details published
    Name, contact, and response timeline published as required by IT Rules.
  • 5
    All third-party content properly licensed
    Images, fonts, icons — licence confirmed for each asset.

Checklist 6 — SaaS Startup IP

  • 1
    All code ownership verified — no unlicensed freelancer code in codebase
    IP assignment agreements from all developers who contributed.
  • 2
    Open-source bill of materials maintained
    Every dependency listed with licence type and compliance status.
  • 3
    SaaS customer agreement includes IP provisions
    Company retains platform ownership. IP indemnification capped.
  • 4
    Core software copyright registered at copyright.gov.in
    Registration certificate obtained for primary codebase.

Checklist 7 — AI Startup IP

  • 1
    Training data rights verified
    All training data obtained with rights permitting AI training use. No unlicensed scraped content.
  • 2
    AI model ownership documented
    Model architecture, weights, and training code — all owned by or licensed to the company.
  • 3
    AI output copyright assessed
    Human creative involvement documented for commercially significant AI-generated outputs.
  • 4
    API terms address output ownership
    Customer agreement specifies who owns AI-generated outputs. Data use for model training addressed.
Checklist Red Flag
Treating IP checklists as one-time exercises. A startup that completed its pre-launch checklist two years ago and has since hired 20 employees, launched new products, and entered new markets needs to run the investor due diligence and employee onboarding checklists again. IP compliance is an ongoing operational discipline — not a founding task.

For the interactive self-assessment that maps your position to the most relevant guides, start with the Quick Start IP Assessment. For all guides in one place, visit the Startup IP Hub.

Making Checklists Work in Practice

The most effective IP checklists in startups are embedded in existing workflows rather than maintained as separate documents. The employee onboarding checklist becomes part of the HR onboarding flow — the employment agreement is a prerequisite for Day 1 access provisioning. The pre-launch checklist becomes a gate before marketing spend is approved. The investor due diligence checklist becomes the standard data room preparation template used before every fundraising process. When IP compliance is integrated into existing operational workflows rather than treated as a separate legal task, it happens consistently rather than sporadically. Assign a designated owner for each checklist — typically the CEO or COO for founder-level items, the CTO or Head of Engineering for technical items, and the Head of Marketing for brand-related items. Review completion status in quarterly all-hands or board meetings. For the complete interactive IP framework, visit the Startup IP Hub.

Patent Readiness Checklist

  • 1
    Core invention clearly identified and described
    What is the specific technical problem solved? What is the novel technical method used to solve it? Document in writing with dated signatures.
  • 2
    No public disclosure made before patent filing
    No conference presentations, published papers, product demos, or press releases describing the technical method before the provisional application was filed.
  • 3
    Prior art search completed
    Indian Patent Office, Espacenet, and Google Patents searched for similar patents. Patentability assessment from qualified attorney received.
  • 4
    All inventors identified and notified
    Every person who contributed to the inventive concept is identified. All have signed IP assignment agreements assigning their rights to the company.
  • 5
    DPIIT recognition confirmed for fee rebates
    DPIIT certificate number ready to include in Form 1 and Form 18 for 80% filing and examination fee rebates.

For detailed guidance on the patent filing process, read the Patent Filing Strategy guide. For all IP guides in one place, visit the Startup IP Hub.