Patents and applications
Granted patents, pending applications, claims, drawings, and prosecution history covering critical technology.
IP ESCROW
The intellectual property your operations depend on deserves the same protection as your software
Patents, trade secrets, proprietary algorithms, and licensed technology held by a vendor are continuity risks as serious as the software they underpin. Castler provides legally defensible custody, verification, and structured release.
Escrow scope
InventoryLayer 1
FingerprintLayer 2
VerificationLayer 3
ReleaseVerified
Custody mapped to signed evidence
WHAT IT IS
IP escrow, and the assets it covers.
IP escrow is a custody arrangement in which the holder deposits patents, trade secrets, proprietary algorithms, licensed specifications, design files, and technical documentation with an independent third party.
It protects continuity if the IP holder can no longer support the beneficiary, and it creates an independent record of the asset and its state at deposit.
The deposit scope varies by industry, but the principle is consistent: independent custody provides a continuity right that the commercial relationship alone cannot guarantee.
ASSET SCOPE
The intellectual property assets Castler holds in custody.
Trade secrets and know-how
Formulas, processes, designs, and technical specifications with the documentation required for independent use.
Proprietary algorithms
Scoring models, optimisation routines, search logic, and other procedures deposited as executable specifications.
Licensed technology specifications
Standards, interfaces, and implementation guides required for continued licensed use.
Design files and technical drawings
CAD files, schematics, circuit layouts, and manufacturing specifications.
Software IP with restricted source access
Software components held under structured release conditions where the beneficiary has a legitimate continuity interest.
THE CASTLER APPROACH
Custody, verification, and structured release for intellectual property.
IP verification focuses on integrity and completeness: whether the deposit matches the declared scope and contains the materials required for independent use.
Deposit process
Defined asset inventory
Format and revision state
Implementation documentation
Content fingerprint
Timestamped chain of custody
Version alignment
Release-condition schedule
Dual-key controls where required
Verification pipeline
Castler reviews completeness, internal consistency, documentation sufficiency, and alignment to the declared current state. Algorithmic IP can include a functional review confirming that the deposited specification is executable.
Signed output
A Certificate of Deposit confirming the asset inventory, verification status, deposit date, revision state, and chain of custody. The certificate is updated with each new deposit.
REGULATORY MANDATE
IP escrow requirements across active mandates.
ISO 27001
Information security management requires organisations to identify and protect critical intellectual property assets.
Evidence mapEU Cyber Resilience Act
Technical documentation and security information must remain available throughout the product lifecycle.
Evidence mapFFIEC TPRM
Material technology contracts should address continuity rights, source access, and IP dependency.
Evidence mapISO 22301
Business continuity systems should protect access to critical third-party intellectual property.
Evidence mapUNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE
When do you need IP escrow in addition to software escrow?
| Comparison | Software Escrow | IP Escrow |
|---|---|---|
| Primary asset | Executable software | Intellectual property assets |
| Verification focus | Can it be rebuilt and run? | Is it complete and usable? |
| Release trigger | Vendor failure or discontinuation | IP holder failure or licence dispute |
| Output on release | Running system and recovery procedure | Asset inventory and usage documentation |
| Regulatory driver | RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, DORA, FCA | ISO 27001, EU CRA, FFIEC |
| Combined use | For software dependencies | For technology licensing relationships |
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Questions about this escrow type
Does IP escrow create ownership rights for the beneficiary?
No. The depositor retains ownership. The beneficiary receives defined access and usage rights only when the agreed release conditions are met.
How is confidentiality maintained for trade secrets?
Deposits are encrypted, access is restricted to the minimum authorised personnel, and verification operates under strict confidentiality obligations.
How often should IP deposits be updated?
Stable patent or process assets may be updated annually. Rapidly evolving algorithmic or software-embedded IP should follow the relevant release cadence.
Can multiple parties use one escrow arrangement?
Yes. Multi-party and joint-venture arrangements can define per-party deposits, access rights, release conditions, and dual-key controls.
GET STARTED
Identify which intellectual property assets need independent custody.
A 15-minute briefing. We map technology licensing relationships, identify IP continuity gaps, and show you a structured IP escrow arrangement.
Book a 15-min briefingISO 27001SOC 2 Type IIPCI DSS