UK Trade-Mark Applications
UK Trade-Mark Applications — RAIDT and RAIT
Filed via: UKIPO online service (https://www.gov.uk/how-to-register-a-trade-mark)
Application route: Standard online application
Filing fee structure: £170 for the first class + £50 per additional class
Owner of record: [Confirm with Portsmouth Research & Innovation Services — typically University of Portsmouth as employer/research institution, with the researcher named as inventor/originator. Some universities allow founder-held marks under licence-back arrangements.]
Important: these are draft specifications for review. Before filing, confirm:
- Owner-of-record with Portsmouth Tech Transfer (the most important question)
- Pre-filing UKIPO clearance search to identify any conflicting prior marks
- Whether to pursue EU TM (~€1,000 across these classes via EUIPO) and US TM (~$1,500 via USPTO) in parallel — recommended within 6 months to preserve priority date
Mark 1 — RAIDT
Mark text: RAIDT
Mark type: Word mark (preferred over figurative; greater scope of protection and easier to enforce)
Sound mark / colour claim: None (keep it as a clean word mark)
Translation / transliteration: Not applicable — coined acronym
Description: RAIDT is a coined term derived from Responsibility, Auditability, Interpretability, Dependability, Traceability. As an invented word with no descriptive meaning in English, it has strong inherent distinctiveness, which favours registration.
Classes and specifications
Class 9 — Software, downloadable publications, recorded data
Specification:
Computer software for the governance, auditing and assurance of artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence systems; computer software for the capture, recording and analysis of data relating to artificial intelligence system operation; computer software for risk assessment and compliance assessment of artificial intelligence systems; downloadable software applications for AI governance and assurance; downloadable electronic publications relating to artificial intelligence governance, audit and assurance; downloadable handbooks, manuals, scoring rubrics and templates relating to artificial intelligence governance.
Class 16 — Printed materials and publications
Specification:
Printed publications, books, manuals, handbooks, training materials, scoring rubrics, templates, workbooks and printed reports, all in the field of artificial intelligence governance, auditing, assurance and risk management; printed materials in the field of regulatory compliance and standards conformance for artificial intelligence systems.
Class 35 — Business consultancy, business audits, governance services
Specification:
Business consultancy services in the field of artificial intelligence governance, audit and assurance; business audit services for artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence systems; business risk assessment services in relation to artificial intelligence; business compliance consultancy in relation to artificial intelligence regulations and standards; provision of business information relating to the governance and audit of artificial intelligence; preparation of business reports relating to artificial intelligence audits and assessments; business management of artificial intelligence assurance programmes.
Class 41 — Education, training, certification, publications
Specification:
Educational services, namely, providing courses, workshops, seminars and conferences in the field of artificial intelligence governance, audit and assurance; professional training and continuing professional development in the field of artificial intelligence governance, ethics and risk management; certification of individuals in the field of artificial intelligence audit and assurance methodologies; provision of online and in-person educational publications, content and learning materials in the field of artificial intelligence governance; arranging and conducting symposia and academic events in the field of responsible artificial intelligence.
Class 42 — SaaS, technical consultancy, software design
Specification:
Software as a service (SaaS) services featuring software for the governance, audit and assurance of artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence systems; platform as a service (PaaS) for AI governance and evidence capture; design, development, customisation and maintenance of computer software for AI governance; technical consultancy services in the field of artificial intelligence; scientific and technological research and design services in the field of artificial intelligence governance, ethics and assurance; technical consultancy and advisory services relating to compliance of artificial intelligence systems with technical standards and regulations.
Filing fees — RAIDT
- Class 9: £170 (first class)
- Class 16: £50
- Class 35: £50
- Class 41: £50
- Class 42: £50
- Total: £370
Mark 2 — RAIT
Mark text: RAIT
Mark type: Word mark
Description: RAIT is the product name for the tracker/SaaS implementation. As a coined term, it has inherent distinctiveness. Pre-filing search risk: "RAIT" is a relatively short word and may be similar to existing marks in adjacent classes (e.g., financial services, real-estate investment trusts). UKIPO clearance search is essential before filing, and Portsmouth Tech Transfer should run a professional search across UK + EU + US registers.
Classes and specifications
Class 9 — Software and downloadable products
Specification:
Computer software for tracking, monitoring, measuring and reporting on the operation, governance and risk of artificial intelligence systems; computer software for the capture and management of metrics, evidence and audit logs relating to artificial intelligence systems; downloadable software applications for AI metrics tracking and dashboarding; software development kits (SDKs) and application programming interfaces (APIs) for the integration of AI governance and metrics functionality into third-party systems.
Class 35 — Business audits and metrics services
Specification:
Business audit services for artificial intelligence systems; provision of business metrics, indicators and reporting in the field of artificial intelligence governance and ethics; business consultancy and information services in relation to artificial intelligence performance, risk and assurance metrics; preparation of business reports and dashboards relating to artificial intelligence governance.
Class 42 — SaaS, technical consultancy
Specification:
Software as a service (SaaS) featuring software for tracking, measuring and reporting on artificial intelligence systems and their governance; platform as a service (PaaS) for AI metrics, observability and assurance; design, development, customisation and integration of software for AI metrics, governance and assurance; technical consultancy in the field of artificial intelligence metrics, observability and assurance; cloud computing services in the field of AI governance and metrics.
Filing fees — RAIT
- Class 9: £170 (first class)
- Class 35: £50
- Class 42: £50
- Total: £270
Combined cost summary
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| RAIDT — 5 classes | £370 |
| RAIT — 3 classes | £270 |
| UK total | £640 |
| Optional: EU TM (EUIPO), 5 classes RAIDT + 3 classes RAIT | ~€1,750 |
| Optional: US TM (USPTO), per-class basis filing | ~$1,500 |
| Optional: Madrid Protocol international expansion | ~$1,000–$3,000 + designated-country fees |
Recommendation: file UK applications first to establish priority date, then within 6 months file Madrid Protocol applications designating EU and US to claim that UK priority. This is significantly cheaper than direct national filings.
Pre-filing checklist
Filing process
- Visit https://www.gov.uk/how-to-register-a-trade-mark and select "Apply online".
- Choose Standard application (not Right Start, which splits payment across two stages but ends up the same total).
- Enter applicant details — owner of record (e.g., "The University of Portsmouth" or your spin-out company).
- Enter the mark text exactly:
RAIDT(uppercase) — file as a word mark with no figurative element. - Select all five classes for RAIDT (9, 16, 35, 41, 42); paste the specifications from Class sections above.
- Pay £370 by card.
- Repeat for RAIT — three classes (9, 35, 42); paste specifications; pay £270.
- UKIPO will issue an examination report within 2–4 weeks. Most likely outcome: acceptance subject to publication. Publication period is 2 months (during which third parties may oppose). Total time to registration ~4–6 months.
Likely examination issues
| Issue | Likelihood | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Examiner flags specifications as too broad | Medium | Use UKIPO term-picker wording where possible; specifications above use UKIPO standard terminology |
| Prior mark cited as conflicting | Medium for RAIT, low for RAIDT | Pre-filing clearance search; consider co-existence agreement if a prior holder is in non-overlapping market |
| Mark deemed descriptive / non-distinctive | Low for RAIDT (coined acronym), low for RAIT (coined word) | Argue inherent distinctiveness and lack of dictionary meaning |
| Third-party opposition during publication period | Low | Respond via UKIPO procedures; usually resolved by negotiation |
Defensive notes
- Do not file logo / figurative marks before the word marks register. Word marks are stronger and broader; logos can come later as a second application.
- Keep the marks in active use — UK trade-marks can be revoked for non-use after 5 years. Document use in commerce (engagements, licences, training delivery) from registration date.
- Use the ™ symbol immediately on all marketing materials, even pre-registration. Switch to ® only after registration is granted.
- Trade-mark searches should be repeated annually to spot infringements early.
- Maintain a brand guidelines document that specifies acceptable typography, colour, and use of RAIDT and RAIT in commerce — important for licensee discipline (Big-4 will need this).