Why
The gap between “knows the market” and reality
Teams often pick “whoever said they know the market”. Later it turns out there is no ops team, no import path, no transparent ownership. Partner checks close that gap before you spend on localization and a pilot.
Minimum
Base check pack
- Legal statusRegistration, address, directors, related companies.
- Operating capacityWarehouse / service / sales — who actually runs deals.
- Sector trackSimilar products, cases, references (with caution).
- Financial resilienceQualitative signal: payments, timelines, volume.
- Conflicts of interestCompeting lines and exclusives.
Stop signals
Red flags
- Refusal to share registration data or “we’ll settle it personally”
- Guarantees of registrations and public tenders without a formal process
- Pressure for exclusivity before the first pilot
- No clear owner of the next step on the partner side
Sequence
Practical order
- Shortlist of 3–5 candidates by segment criteria.
- Interview + document pack (company profile, trade licence, tax ID).
- Local contact verification — not video calls only.
- Pilot design with KPIs — before a broad commercial mandate.
Evolostok methodological framework, not a legal opinion. Details depend on industry and entry model.
