Map diligence cleanup before a buyer controls the request list.

Answer a short set of non-confidential readiness questions and get a buyer diligence risk map, a practical 60-day cleanup sequence, and a suggested Whiteford service path.

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Founder M&A readiness

Map non-financial diligence friction before a buyer or investor controls the process.

Transaction timing

Disclaimer gate before intake

Use categorical answers only. Do not identify buyers, investors, counterparties, employees, customers, disputes, financial terms, diligence requests, valuation expectations, or confidential transaction facts. This checklist is educational only, is not legal advice, is not a valuation opinion or transaction-readiness determination, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

I understand this checklist is educational only, uses non-confidential categorical inputs, does not value the company, predict deal outcomes, provide legal advice, or create an attorney-client relationship.

Corporate records

Formation, equity, option/compensation, and approval records are current and centralized.

Categorical answer only. Use categorical answers only. Do not identify buyers, investors, counterparties, employees, customers, disputes, financial terms, diligence requests, valuation expectations, or confidential transaction facts.

IP ownership

Founder, employee, contractor, advisor, vendor, and open-source ownership records are diligence-ready.

Customer/vendor contracts

Key customer and vendor contracts can be reviewed for assignability, change-of-control, data, indemnity, and termination issues.

Employment/contractor

Employment, contractor, confidentiality, invention assignment, and classification files are organized.

AI/data/privacy

AI use, product claims, privacy/security materials, vendors, and data practices can be explained without reconstructing the story.

Disputes/concentration

Material disputes, customer concentration, unusual obligations, and known exceptions are tracked for counsel review.

Diligence process

A lightweight data-room checklist and owner map exists for the first buyer/investor request list.

Your preview

Useful foundation with diligence gaps

This is a non-confidential readiness snapshot, not a valuation opinion, deal prediction, legal advice, transaction-readiness guarantee, or attorney-client relationship.

Report-page warning

Use categorical answers only. Do not identify buyers, investors, counterparties, employees, customers, disputes, financial terms, diligence requests, valuation expectations, or confidential transaction facts. Source-current note: this staging tool uses current public-source framing only as of the internal review draft. Re-check sources and approve exact copy before any public launch.

Conflicts and engagement caveat

Using this tool, requesting a report, or booking a discussion does not create an attorney-client relationship. Whiteford can provide legal advice only after conflicts review and a written engagement.

Diligence friction map

Corporate records

Centralize corporate approvals, equity support, and major governance records.

IP ownership

Run an ownership-record check before buyer counsel asks for assignment proof.

Customer/vendor contracts

Inventory key contracts and flag assignability, termination, and unusual customer commitments.

Employment/contractor

Review contributor agreements and personnel records for diligence friction.

AI/data/privacy

Map AI/data/privacy diligence evidence, including vendor terms, notices, and product-claim records.

60-day cleanup plan

Days 1-20: Centralize corporate approvals, equity support, and major governance records.
Days 1-20: Run an ownership-record check before buyer counsel asks for assignment proof.
Days 21-40: Inventory key contracts and flag assignability, termination, and unusual customer commitments.
Days 21-40: Review contributor agreements and personnel records for diligence friction.
Days 41-60: Map AI/data/privacy diligence evidence, including vendor terms, notices, and product-claim records.

Recommended service path

Founder M&A Readiness Review: sequence corporate, IP, contracts, employment, AI/data, privacy/security, and diligence-process cleanup before the request list arrives.

NameEmailCompanyRole category

Final-submit warning

Use categorical answers only. Do not identify buyers, investors, counterparties, employees, customers, disputes, financial terms, diligence requests, valuation expectations, or confidential transaction facts. Using this tool, requesting a report, or booking a discussion does not create an attorney-client relationship. Whiteford can provide legal advice only after conflicts review and a written engagement.

Optional and unchecked: I agree to receive the Founder M&A Readiness Checklist results and related educational emails from Whiteford/Schell IP. I can unsubscribe at any time. I understand this form is not for confidential transaction information and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Marketing updates are off. The checklist request can still be submitted with only transactional handling.

Educational material only. This checklist does not provide legal advice, value a company, predict transaction outcomes, or create an attorney-client relationship. Do not submit confidential facts.

Readiness, not deal prediction

The checklist focuses on operational evidence a buyer or investor may ask to review.

It does not value a company, predict an outcome, provide legal advice, or ask for confidential transaction facts through a public form.