Do you want to report an invention? Find infomation and answers to your questions here.
A person is an inventor when they have contributed intellectually to the creation of the invention.
It is therefore important that only those individuals who have actually contributed intellectually to a (potential) invention are listed on the reporting form and particularly on any patent application. "Polite" attribution of individuals as inventors can have serious negative consequences. In the worst case, the patent may be declared invalid.
Inventor contributions must be indicated in percentage. This is used to determine AU/AUH's share of any inventions made in collaboration with external parties and to calculate the distribution of royalties if the invention is commercially exploited.
When you report an invention, we can assist you in determining who the inventors are if needed.
Within two months of receiving the submission, you should receive a response on whether AU wishes to acquire the rights and initiate a commercialization process.
It is important here that: 1) the invention is patentable, 2) there is a market need for the technology, 3) there is a plan for further development work and 4) there are individuals who can conduct research on the invention..
You should be prepared to allocate approximately 1.5 hours for an assessment meeting of your discovery and an additional 45 minutes for a meeting following the patent evaluation process.
Patent applications are typically drafted by an external patent attorney. Once an application is submitted, the patent attorney will request the inventors to sign a Declaration of Inventorship, where the inventors transfer their rights to AU/RM.
Your application will be published 18 months after the filing date. If the invention is granted a patent, it will be recorded in a publicly accessible database, serving as prior art against any future patent applications.
The actual patenting process takes years. When the patent is granted, it is valid for 20 years from the first filing date, provided that maintenance fees to the patent offices are paid.
The technology is typically transferred through a licensing or sales agreement, where AU/RM grants rights to the use of the defined technology to a commercial third party.
In cases where AU/RM does not wish to continue the commercialization of the patented technology, it is possible to have the patenting rights assigned to yourself. Afterwards, you have the opportunity to commercialize the invention through licensing or a spin-out company under the guidance of AU's business developers.
There are several options for seeking funding. You can find further information about a selection of different funds here.
To prepare your pitch for investors or PoC funding, there is a template available. The template can be seen as a tool to structure the various elements of your pitch and should therefore only be viewed as a starting point for your own presentation.
You are encouraged to report your invention for all discoveries and developments that you believe may have significant value as a solution to a problem. If you are in doubt, please contact AU's business developers to discuss the invention and strategies for commercialization.
Yes, typically a student will own their rights to an invention, unless the invention was created by a student in the capacity of an AU/RM employee