Answer
Trade mark pending or registered
What can I say in a pitch deck about a trade mark that is pending or registered?
A pending trade mark is an application the Intellectual Property Office is still examining. A registered one has been granted. GOV.UK says registration is what lets you use the registered symbol and take legal action against unauthorised users. Until then, say an application has been filed. Your IP attorney confirms the wording.
Last reviewed 27 October 2026. Written by HAM Agency.
A deck says the brand is protected. The register may show an application that hasn't been granted yet. Both can be true, but only one of them is a registered trade mark, and an investor's adviser will check which.
The stages
GOV.UK sets out the route. You send the mark and the goods or services it covers to the Intellectual Property Office. It examines the application and sends an examination report, which GOV.UK says takes 2 to 3 weeks. If it raises objections, you have 2 months to deal with them.
If there are no objections, or you resolve them, the application is published in the trade marks journal for 2 months. Anyone may oppose it. If someone does, GOV.UK says you can't register the mark in the relevant classes or terms until the issue is solved.
GOV.UK says that with no issues the whole thing usually takes around 3 to 4 months from application.
What a deck can say at each stage
| Where the mark is | What the record shows | A fair line for the deck |
|---|---|---|
| Not filed | Nothing | "We are planning to file" |
| Application filed | An application, not a registration | "Application filed on [date]" |
| Published, within the opposition period | An application others can oppose | "Application filed on [date], published" |
| Opposed | An application with a dispute attached | Say so, and say what you are doing about it |
| Registered | A granted mark | "Registered in the UK" |
These are the plain facts of each stage, not legal wording. Your IP attorney confirms what the deck can say and how it describes the goods and services the mark covers.
What registration gives you
GOV.UK says that once a mark is registered you can take legal action against unauthorised users, use the registered symbol next to your brand, and sell or license the brand. It also says you must renew the mark every 10 years for it to stay in force.
The territory matters too. GOV.UK says a UK registration protects your brand in the UK and the Isle of Man only.
Check what the register says
The Intellectual Property Office's search lets you find who owns a trade mark and whether a similar one already exists. Search your own name and your brand, and read the result as an investor's adviser would. The page doesn't describe each field in the results, so ask your IP attorney to read the entry with you and confirm what it means.
What to do with this
- Write down the status of each mark the deck mentions, with the filing date.
- Change any line that says "protected" or "registered" where the record shows an application.
- Check that the owner on the record is the company, not a founder.
That last point links to who owns the IP in your company. Raise Ready reads the pack against the record with you. The ham.agency seed data room checklist shows where the trade mark evidence sits.
Questions
Can I use the registered symbol while my application is pending?
GOV.UK describes the symbol as something you can use once the mark is registered. A pending application isn't a registration. Ask your IP attorney before putting the symbol on a deck, a website or packaging.
How long does a trade mark take to register?
GOV.UK says that if there are no issues it usually takes around 3 to 4 months from application. The Intellectual Property Office examines the application, then publishes it for 2 months, and anyone may oppose it in that time. An opposition can delay or stop it.
Does a UK trade mark cover other countries?
No. GOV.UK says a UK registration protects your brand in the UK and the Isle of Man only. Other countries have separate processes, so an investor with plans outside the UK will ask what you have filed there.
Does Raise Ready file or check trade marks?
Raise Ready checks that what your deck says about your brand matches the record, and lists any gap. It doesn't file trade marks, and it doesn't give investment, tax or legal advice. An IP attorney confirms the status, the wording and the scope of the mark.