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IP Notes — geolocal.io
Last updated: 2026-07-16
1. The /.well-known/mcp-server Pattern
Positioning
The /.well-known/mcp-server convention is an adaptation of IETF's RFC 8615 (/.well-known URI space) for MCP server discovery. We position this as an open standard — not a proprietary geolocal.io invention.
Rationale:
- The more adopters use this convention, the more AI agents learn to look for it
- An open standard creates network effects that favor us as the infrastructure provider, even though we don't own the convention
- Competitors who copy the convention still need our hosted MCP server
Risk
If another company claims to have "invented" /.well-known/mcp-server, we lose the narrative advantage. Mitigation: Document our first use and publish the convention publicly before competitors.
Action Items
- Publish a technical blog post: "Introducing
/.well-known/mcp-serverfor AI Discovery" - File a design document on the MCP GitHub repository as a community proposal
- Include the convention in our public README before launch
2. Trademark
Mark: geolocal.io
Status: To be registered
Action Items:
- File USPTO trademark application for "GeoLocal" (Class 42: Cloud computing services; Class 35: Business consulting)
- Monitor for conflicting marks in adjacent categories
- Register domain variations (geolocal.com, geolocal.ai) to prevent confusion
3. MCP Protocol Usage
Governance: The MCP protocol is governed by Anthropic (as of 2026). It is open-source and permissively licensed.
Our usage:
- We implement the MCP protocol as specified — this is permitted
- We do not modify the core protocol — we extend it with our own tools and data schema
- Our proprietary value is in the data layer and hosting infrastructure, not the protocol itself
Risk: If MCP governance changes (e.g., becomes copyleft, or a competing protocol emerges), we need to be ready to migrate. Our data layer is protocol-agnostic, so this is manageable.
4. Telemetry Data Ownership
We own the telemetry data generated by MCP interactions on our platform:
- Query patterns
- Tool usage statistics
- Response times
- Business recommendation patterns
- AI platform usage breakdown
We do NOT own:
- Business profile data (owned by the businesses)
- Booking data (owned by Cal.com/Stripe)
- Consumer PII (we don't collect it)
Commercialization: Anonymized, aggregated telemetry may be licensed as a Data-as-a-Service product. This is subject to our privacy commitments (see Data Flow & Privacy.md).
5. Open Source Considerations
Current code: Proprietary (closed-source)
Rationale for closed-source:
- The competitive advantage is in the data and distribution, not the code
- However, closing the source may slow adoption if agencies want to audit the infrastructure
- Potential strategy: Release a reference implementation (the JSON manifest generator) as open source, while keeping the MCP server and telemetry pipeline proprietary
Recommendation: Evaluate open-sourcing the manifest generator / /.well-known/mcp-server convention documentation as a growth strategy. This positions geolocal.io as the authority without giving away proprietary infrastructure.
6. Business Data Rights
Clear chain of title:
Business Owner → (voluntarily provides) → geolocal.io MCP Server → (exposed via) → AI Agents
- Businesses retain full ownership of their profile data
- Businesses grant geolocal.io a non-exclusive license to host and expose that data via MCP
- Businesses may revoke this license at any time (data deletion request)
- Businesses may export their data at any time
Partner agencies:
- Agencies act as data processors on behalf of businesses
- Agencies do not own the business data they submit
- Businesses must authorize agencies to submit their data on their behalf
7. IP Audit Checklist
Before launch, verify:
- No third-party code with restrictive licenses (GPL, AGPL) in the MCP server
- All dependencies use permissive licenses (MIT, Apache 2.0, BSD)
- Trademark application filed
/.well-known/mcp-serverconvention documented and published- Privacy policy references data ownership clearly
- Terms of Service include IP clauses
- No open source code mixed with proprietary code without clear separation
This document must reference NORTH_STAR.md for principles. Consult IP counsel before making final decisions.