Readiness Checklist Used Before Capital Routing

An asset is not capital-ready unless it passes all Critical Gate items.

• Asset is clearly defined in one sentence
• Asset category is identified (merch venture / format IP / music IP / creator world / partnership / other)
• Asset boundaries are explicit (what is included / excluded)
• Asset can be described as a standalone economic object (not the artist's career)

• Asset can be ring-fenced in a legal/economic container
• Asset survives independently of any single moment/campaign
• Asset outputs/deliverables are finite or governable
• Future derivative rights are identified (if applicable)

• Core dependencies are identified (artist, partner, platform, venue, supplier)
• Single-point-of-failure risks are documented
• Asset viability holds if a key collaborator exits, or risk is acknowledged and priced

• Current ownership map exists (who owns what today)
• Intended ownership map exists (post-formation target)
• Ownership conflicts / overlaps identified
• Beneficial ownership verified

• Relevant rights identified (masters / publishing / likeness / trademarks / format rights / recordings / footage / merch designs)
• Rights chain documented
• Missing rights listed with remediation plan
• No ambiguous ownership assumptions remain

• Required consents/releases signed or in process
• Collaborator rights usage documented
• Platform/distribution obligations reviewed (if already live)

• Trademark/brand registration status confirmed
• Filing strategy defined (if not yet filed)
• IP registration timeline aligns with launch/commercial milestones

• Correct legal entity identified (or formation required)
• Entity jurisdiction suitable for the asset
• Entity ownership / cap table documented
• Signing authority is clear

• Core agreements exist (or templates prepared)
• Key commercial terms documented in writing
• Revenue share logic defined
• Term / termination / renewal rules defined
• Audit / reporting rights included where relevant
• IP ownership / license language explicit

• Correct recipient entity/account identified
• Capital use purpose documented
• Restrictions on use of funds documented
• Capital instrument defined (SAFE / equity / loan / SPV / advance / other)

• KYC/KYB requirements completed (if applicable)
• Tax implications identified
• Required invoices/records can be produced
• No unresolved legal disputes blocking routing

• Who decides what is documented (creative / commercial / legal / capital / hiring)
• Approval thresholds are defined
• Deadlock resolution path exists
• Escalation path exists for urgent decisions

• Weekly / biweekly review cadence defined
• Reporting cadence defined (financial + operating)
• KPI owner assigned
• Documentation owner assigned

• Known failure modes identified
• Kill / pause conditions defined
• No-go triggers documented
• Contingency actions defined for top 3 risks

• DROP role explicitly defined (governance / formation / operator / advisor / co-builder)
• DROP compensation/equity basis documented
• DROP vs partner responsibilities are clear
• Scope creep boundaries documented

• 90-day execution plan exists
• Key milestones are dated
• Critical path identified
• Dependencies between milestones visible

• Execution owner identified
• Required partners/vendors identified
• Partner commitments confirmed
• Capability gaps identified with mitigation plan

• Deliverables are defined
• Production timeline is realistic
• Budget assumptions documented
• QA/review process exists (if applicable)

• Bottlenecks identified
• Backup vendor/partner options identified (if needed)
• Timeline sensitivity understood (impact of 2-4 week delay)

• Revenue model clearly stated
• Primary revenue stream identified
• Secondary streams identified (if relevant)
• Unit economics assumptions documented

• Customer/audience defined
• GTM path defined (channels, partners, launch sequence)
• Distribution dependencies identified
• Commercial milestones defined

• Pricing assumptions exist
• Revenue split assumptions exist
• Deal terms align with long-term asset value
• Commercial trade-offs understood (speed vs ownership vs margin)

• Existing traction documented (audience, sales, engagement, demand)
• Evidence verified (not anecdotal only)
• Key assumptions requiring validation listed

• Capital use is specific (not general growth)
• Capital tied to milestones
• Capital not used to compensate for unresolved governance gaps
• Use of funds improves asset quality, not just activity volume

• Capital creates recoverable value, or rationale for non-recoverable spend is explicit
• Spend proportional to asset maturity stage
• Downside case understood

• No routing into unclear ownership
• No routing into informal agreements
• No routing to save momentum without structure
• No routing due to external pressure/urgency alone

Score is secondary. Critical Gate failures override score.

• Asset: [Name]
• Capital Request: [Amount / instrument / use]
• Why Now: [Trigger / irreversibility fork / milestone]
• What Has Been De-Risked: [ ] [ ] [ ]
• What Remains Risky: [ ] [ ] [ ]
• DROP Recommendation: [Proceed / Proceed Conditional / Hold / Reject]