Name Risk Check: Research Relay LLC¶
Purpose¶
Verify that "Research Relay LLC" is available and doesn't create trademark, domain, or confusion risks.
Proposed Name¶
Full legal name: Research Relay LLC Operating name: Research Relay Domain: research-relay.com (owned)
Availability Checklist¶
State Business Name Search¶
| Check | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CA Secretary of State business search | [x] | Searched 2026-02-04 |
| Exact match "Research Relay" | [x] | None found |
| Similar names (Research Relay Inc, etc.) | [x] | None found in CA |
Result: CLEAR - No conflicting CA entities found.
Federal Trademark Search¶
| Check | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| USPTO TESS search | [x] | Searched 2026-02-04 |
| Exact match "Research Relay" | [x] | No live marks |
| Similar marks in Class 5 (pharmaceuticals) | [x] | None found |
| Similar marks in Class 35 (retail) | [x] | None found |
| Similar marks in Class 42 (scientific) | [x] | None found |
Result: CLEAR - No registered trademarks for "Research Relay."
Domain Status¶
| Domain | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| research-relay.com | [x] OWNED | Primary domain |
| researchrelay.com | Taken | Parked/broken (IONOS hosting) |
| researchrelay.co | Available | No DNS record |
| researchrelay.io | Available | No DNS record |
Result: CLEAR - Primary domain owned.
Common Law / Google Search¶
| Check | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Google "Research Relay" | [x] | Searched 2026-02-04 |
| Google "Research Relay + peptide" | [x] | No competitors found |
| Google "Research Relay + research chemical" | [x] | No competitors found |
| LinkedIn/Crunchbase | [x] | See existing entities below |
Result: CLEAR for target industry.
Existing Entities Using Similar Names¶
| Entity | Location | Industry | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Relay Ltd | Scotland, UK | Marine/aquaculture consulting | Low - different industry, geography |
| The Research Relay | Australia | Student podcast (ANU) | None - not a business |
| researchrelay.com holder | Unknown | Parked domain | None - not active |
Assessment: No conflicts in research chemical/peptide space. UK entity operates in unrelated marine science sector with .eu domain.
Risk Assessment¶
Name Component Analysis¶
| Component | Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| "Research" | Low | Generic/descriptive term |
| "Relay" | Low | Generic term |
| "Research Relay" | Low-Medium | Combined may have distinctiveness |
Assessment: Both words are generic and descriptive. The combination is reasonably distinctive but not highly unique. This is: - Good for: Avoiding trademark conflicts (hard to own generic terms) - Bad for: Strong trademark protection (hard to enforce against others)
Industry-Specific Risks¶
| Risk | Likelihood | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Confusion with existing research supplier | Medium | Verify no direct competitor uses name |
| Confusion with academic/nonprofit | Low | "LLC" suffix clarifies commercial nature |
| Trademark challenge | Low | Generic terms are hard to trademark |
HUMAN GATE: Name Verification¶
Verification Status: COMPLETE¶
- CA Business Search
- Searched CA SOS database
- No exact match found
- No confusingly similar names in same industry
-
Result: CLEAR
-
USPTO Trademark Search
- Searched TESS database
- No live registered marks for "Research Relay"
- No pending applications
- Reviewed similar marks in relevant classes
-
Result: CLEAR
-
Domain Check
- Primary domain owned: research-relay.com
- Backup options identified (.co, .io available)
-
Primary domain status: OWNED
-
Google/Common Law
- Searched Google for existing use
- No established competitor using name in target industry
- Result: CLEAR (UK marine research firm exists but unrelated)
Decision¶
| Scenario | Status |
|---|---|
| CA entity conflict | None |
| Trademark conflict | None |
| Domain situation | Owned (research-relay.com) |
| Industry competitor | None in peptide/research chemical space |
Recommendation: PROCEED with "Research Relay LLC"
Alternative Names (If Needed)¶
If "Research Relay" has conflicts, consider:
| Alternative | Notes |
|---|---|
| Relay Research LLC | Word order swap |
| Research Relay Labs | Adds descriptor |
| RR Research Supply | Initialism |
| [Your preferred alternatives] | — |
Naming principles for alternatives: - Keep it simple (2-3 words max) - Avoid industry-specific terms that limit future pivots - Ensure domain availability before committing - Check trademark for any alternative
Verification Summary¶
Name: Research Relay LLC
Verification completed: - CA SOS search: 2026-02-04 - Clear - USPTO search: 2026-02-04 - Clear - Domain: research-relay.com - Owned - Google search: 2026-02-04 - No conflicts in target industry
Decision: Proceed with this name
Verified: 2026-02-04
Ongoing Considerations¶
Trademark Registration (Optional)¶
After formation, you may consider: - Filing trademark application for "Research Relay" in relevant classes - Cost: ~$250-350 per class (USPTO filing fee) - Timeline: 8-12 months for registration - Benefit: Stronger legal protection, ability to enforce
Not required for operating, but provides legal protection if you build brand value.
Domain Privacy¶
When registering domain: - Use WHOIS privacy protection - Register through privacy-respecting registrar - Consider registering common misspellings defensively
Next Steps¶
- Name verification complete
- Confirm name selection in
docs/entity/selections.md - Proceed to registered agent selection
- Proceed to virtual address selection