Since the Startup India campaign started and the Startup Intellectual Property Protection (SIPP) scheme has been launched, it is the best time to start a business in India and take advantage of various government schemes for eligible startups.

Over 400 practitioners and a few government organizations have joined the bandwagon to provide trademark and patent facilitation services as part of SIPP scheme to startups. However, with such a high number of facilitators and the Indian IP office giving only the area of specialization (mainly for patents) and contact details, finding a quality patent facilitator may not be that easy. The IPO has left the task of figuring out a quality patent facilitator up to the startup.

If you are an eligible startup and have been going through the trademark and patent facilitator list and have found it difficult to choose a quality patent facilitator, then this is the article you should read.

Though the IP facilitation system is a good idea for startups who are pressed for cash as you are essentially required to pay the government fee and no professional fee; it doesn’t always guarantee in terms of quality of service. Being a facilitator is totally optional to qualifying professionals and sort of a pro bono activity. Hence, not all top law firm practitioners have opted to be part of the facilitation list. However, there is some representation from top law firms but finding it is not that easy.

So, to help the startup community, we have short listed some top patent & trademark agents / lawyers from top law firms who act as facilitators. We would suggest you contact one or more of these facilitators when choosing a trademark or patent facilitator for your startup.