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Research and Development Agreement
Free R&D agreement template for two companies collaborating on research and development, covering funding, IP ownership, and deliverables.
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This free research and development agreement covers 1. Project Scope, 2. Funding, 3. Deliverables and Milestones, 4. Intellectual Property, 5. Confidentiality with 10 clearly marked [placeholder] fields to fill in — built for founders, freelancers, and small business owners formalizing a business decision or agreement without paying a lawyer to draft it from scratch. Copy it into your own word processor, fill in the placeholders, and review it — or adapt it — before use. It's part of docstoc's free document template library, alongside business, legal, real estate, finance, and HR templates. Every template here is free to copy with no signup required, and each one carries a plain disclaimer: this is a starting point for informational purposes, not a substitute for advice from a licensed professional in your jurisdiction.
Research and Development Agreement
Party A (Sponsor): [Company Name] · Party B (Developer): [Company Name] · Date: [Date]
1. Project Scope
Party B will conduct research and development on: [Description of the project/technology].
2. Funding
Party A will fund the project in the amount of [Amount], paid [Schedule/milestones].
3. Deliverables and Milestones
| Milestone | Description | Target Date |
|---|---|---|
| [Milestone 1] | [Description] | [Date] |
| [Milestone 2] | [Description] | [Date] |
4. Intellectual Property
[State ownership of resulting IP — e.g. "IP resulting from the project is owned by Party A" / "jointly owned" / "owned by Party B, with Party A receiving an exclusive license." This is the most heavily negotiated term in most R&D agreements.]
5. Confidentiality
Both parties will keep confidential information shared during the project confidential, using at least the same care they use for their own confidential information.
6. Reporting
Party B will provide [Frequency] progress reports to Party A.
7. Term and Termination
This Agreement runs until project completion or [Date], and either party may terminate for material breach not cured within [Cure Period].
Party A: ______________________ Date: ____________ Party B: ______________________ Date: ____________
*This document is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The IP ownership clause (Section 4) is worth getting right before work starts, not after a valuable discovery is made — disputes over who owns R&D output are far more common and costly than disputes over funding amounts.*
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What's included
- Edit online — click the document, fill in placeholders, download a PDF
- 7 standard sections: 1. Project Scope, 2. Funding, 3. Deliverables and Milestones, 4. Intellectual Property, 5. Confidentiality, 6. Reporting, …
- 10 clearly marked [placeholder] fields for quick personalizing
- Free to use — no account or signup required
- Fully editable — adjust any clause to match your actual situation
- Includes a signature block, ready to print or sign digitally
- Fixed docstoc.io footer on every PDF (not removable)
Who this template is for
Freelancers & solo founders
Handling routine business paperwork without commissioning custom legal drafting for every document.
Small businesses
Standardizing recurring documents — leases, agreements, notices — across a growing operation.
Anyone reviewing before signing
Using a clear starting structure to understand what a document should cover, even if a lawyer finalizes it.
Early-stage businesses
Getting the basics documented before things get more complex.
FAQ
Is this research and development agreement template really free?
Yes — this Research and Development Agreement template on docstoc is free to view, edit online, and download as a PDF with no account or signup required.
What does this research and development agreement cover?
This business template includes 1. Project Scope, 2. Funding, 3. Deliverables and Milestones, 4. Intellectual Property. Fill in the [bracketed] placeholders, edit any clause online, then download a PDF — the docstoc.io footer stays on every export.
Is this legal advice?
No. Templates like this cover the common ground most businesses need, but they can't anticipate your specific deal terms, jurisdiction, or industry rules. Treat it as a first draft to build from, and get a business attorney's eyes on it before signing anything that matters.
Can I edit the wording?
Yes. All 10 placeholder fields and every clause are editable right on the page — change what doesn't fit, then download an updated PDF anytime.
Where can I find more free templates like this?
Browse more free business and related document templates in the docstoc library at /document-templates/.
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