Robotics Investment and Supply Chain Diligence Checklist

A structured diligence framework for M&A transactions, venture investments, public agency procurements, and enterprise technology licensing involving physical AI assets.

Who this is for

Corporate development executives, private equity investors, enterprise procurement officers, and transactional counsel.

Instructions

Complete each module before closing. Flag unresolved items for post-closing covenants or purchase price adjustments.

1. Corporate and intellectual property

Patent portfolio inventoried: hardware, sensor fusion, and control software assets identified
Pending patent applications reviewed
Freedom-to-operate searches completed; third-party infringement risks assessed
Trade secret protections audited: employee non-disclosure practices, source code access controls, calibration security, TUTSA compliance (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Chapter 134A)
University technology transfers inspected: license agreements, sponsored research contracts, inventorship assignments, federal Bayh-Dole rights under 37 C.F.R. § 401.14
Open source components inventoried (including Robot Operating System / ROS libraries); license types, notice obligations, and copyleft triggers assessed

2. Regulatory authorizations

TxDMV commercial driverless authorizations verified (if applicable)
FAA approvals verified: Part 107 certifications, waivers, exemptions, Part 135 certificates (if applicable)
FCC equipment authorizations verified for all radio frequency devices
FDA clearances verified for medical robotics (510(k), PMA as applicable)
NHTSA exemption status confirmed (49 C.F.R. pt. 555 petitions if applicable)

3. Supply chain and foreign components

Electronic components screened against the FCC Covered List (47 U.S.C. § 1601)
Foreign-produced advanced robotic device restrictions assessed under FCC DA 26-786
Commerce Control List (CCL) item classifications verified under 15 C.F.R. Part 774
BIS connected vehicle software rules assessed (15 C.F.R. Part 791)
CFIUS national security investment screening risks evaluated (31 C.F.R. Part 800)
Section 232 robotics investigation exposure assessed (investigation opened September 2, 2025; no tariff imposed as of October 18, 2026)
Texas DIR prohibited technologies list screened for public-sector customers (Tex. Gov't Code Ch. 620)

4. Litigation and ITC exposure

Pending product liability litigation reviewed
NHTSA crash filings and investigations reviewed
OSHA citations reviewed
FAA enforcement proceedings reviewed
CPSC defect reports and recalls reviewed
Section 337 ITC investigation exposure assessed (19 U.S.C. § 1337)

5. Data privacy and cybersecurity

TDPSA compliance assessed (Tex. Bus. & Com. Code Chapter 541)
Biometric identifier practices reviewed under Texas CUBI (Tex. Bus. & Com. Code § 503.001)
TRAIGA governance obligations assessed for AI systems (Tex. Bus. & Com. Code Chapters 551-554)
Medical cyber device duties reviewed for healthcare robotics (21 U.S.C. § 360n-2)
Customer RaaS contracts, uptime SLAs, warranty obligations, and post-support commitments inspected

Target company:

Reviewer name and title:

Date: