What IP should a startup protect before raising Series A?

Before a Series A, a startup should have protected: (1) Core technology: patent applications filed or trade secret protocols documented and timestamped; (2) Source code: qualified electronic timestamps on each major release establish copyright creation date; (3) Brand: trademark applications filed in key markets (EU via EUIPO, Switzerland via IGE/IPI, US via USPTO); (4) Proprietary data and algorithms: documented as trade secrets with access controls and NDAs; (5) Founder and employee IP assignments: signed and timestamped to prove the company owns IP created before and during employment; (6) Customer and vendor contracts: qualified electronic signatures on all agreements. Investors at Series A conduct IP due diligence. Gaps here directly affect valuation.

Why do Series A investors care about IP ownership documentation?

Series A investors are acquiring equity in a business whose value often rests primarily on its intellectual property: the technology, the brand, and the proprietary know-how. If IP ownership is unclear (e.g., a founder created core technology before the company was incorporated and did not formally assign it), the investor may be acquiring equity in a company that does not actually own its most valuable asset. Qualified electronic timestamps on early code, designs, and product descriptions, combined with proper IP assignment agreements, prove the chain of ownership from creator to company. This documentation directly reduces investor risk and supports a higher valuation.

How do qualified electronic timestamps help with startup IP protection?

A qualified electronic timestamp from a QTSP under eIDAS Art. 41 creates an independent, court-admissible record that a specific version of a document (code, design, business plan, invention description) existed at a specific date. For startups: timestamps on early product versions establish copyright creation date and trade secret existence; timestamps on IP assignment agreements confirm the date of transfer; timestamps on pitch decks and investor materials create a record of what was disclosed and when. These are low-cost (from CHF 5 per document) compared to patent filings, and they create a comprehensive IP audit trail that supports due diligence without requiring a patent in every jurisdiction.

What is an IP assignment agreement and why must startups have one?

An IP assignment agreement is a legal document in which an individual (typically a founder, co-founder, or employee) formally transfers ownership of intellectual property they created to the company. Without a signed and dated IP assignment, IP created by a founder before the company was incorporated, or by an employee using personal equipment, may legally remain the property of that individual, not the company. This is a critical Series A due diligence finding: if the company doesn't own its core technology, the investment is structurally at risk. Qualified electronic timestamps on IP assignment agreements establish when the transfer occurred, protecting both the company and the founder in any future dispute.

Which IP protections are mandatory before a Series A and which are optional?

Mandatory before Series A: (1) IP assignment agreements from all founders and employees who contributed to core technology; (2) Evidence of creation date for core IP (qualified timestamps or patent filings); (3) Trademark applications in the company's primary market; (4) NDAs with all employees, contractors, and material business partners. Optional but advisable: patent applications for core technology (expensive, but provide the strongest exclusive rights); copyright registration in the US if selling there (required to sue for statutory damages); international trademark registration if expanding globally. The mandatory items directly affect the investment decision; the optional items affect post-investment growth strategy.

IP Protection Checklist for Series A Startups 2026

IP-Schutz-Checkliste für Startups in der Series-A-Finanzierung: Was Investoren vor der Unterzeichnung prüfen

Series-A-Investoren führen heute eine 10-Punkte-IP-Due-Diligence durch, bevor Term Sheets ausgestellt werden. Die meisten Startups scheitern an 3 oder mehr Punkten. Hier ist die vollständige Checkliste.

Swiss Trust Layer Editorial Team· IP & Legal Content

·June 11, 2026· 8 Min. Lesen

Im Oktober 2025 trat ein Zuericher SaaS-Unternehmen in die Exklusivitaetsphase mit einem Series-A-Lead-Investor ein. Der Term Sheet war paraphiert, die Cap Table war sauber und das Produkt hatte zahlende Kunden in drei Laendern. Dann stellte der IP-Anwalt des Investors eine einzige Frage: Wer hat die Kern-Empfehlungslogik geschrieben, und wann? Die Gruender hatten keine befriedigende Antwort. Die ersten beiden Ingenieure waren vor Abschluss der Arbeitsvertraege eingestellt worden. Es gab keine IP-Abtretungsvereinbarungen und keine unabhaengigen Zeitstempel, nur ein vom Unternehmen kontrolliertes Git-Repository. Der Lead-Investor reduzierte sein Angebot um CHF 800.000 und verwies auf IP-Eigentumsrisiken.

Fuer Gruender ist diese Luecke heute ein Fundraising-Problem, nicht nur ein rechtliches. Institutionelle Investoren und ihre Anwaelte fuehren strukturierte IP-Audits durch, bevor Term Sheets unterzeichnet werden. IP-Streitigkeiten nach einer Investition kosten laut Daten der Swiss Arbitration Association im Durchschnitt CHF 150.000 bis 400.000 und koennen im schlimmsten Fall existenzbedrohend sein. Ein Startup, das mit Dokumentationsluecken in die Due Diligence geht, verlangsamt den Prozess, laedt zu Nachverhandlungen ein oder verliert den Deal.

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IP-Schutz-Checkliste für Startups in der Series-A-Finanzierung: Was Investoren vor der Unterzeichnung prüfen

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