I Have an Invention

Have you developed something new through your research, scholarship, or creative activity? The Office of Research and Innovation can help you determine the next steps for protecting and potentially commercializing your work.

An invention may include a new or improved:

• device, instrument, or machine
• process, method, or technique
• material, chemical compound, or composition
• software or other technology
• biological material or organism
• product, design, or other useful technology

You do not need to determine whether your invention is patentable before contacting us. If you think you may have created something new with potential practical or commercial value, we encourage you to submit an invention disclosure.

Planning to publish or present your work? Contact us first.

Public disclosure of an invention can affect the ability to obtain patent protection, particularly outside the United States. Publications, conference presentations, posters, websites, demonstrations, and other public communications may constitute public disclosure.

Submitting an invention disclosure does not prevent you from publishing your research. It gives us an opportunity to evaluate whether intellectual property protection should be pursued before the work becomes public. CPP’s existing guidance explicitly says ORI should be informed before manuscript submission and that the office does not interfere with inventors’ publishing plans.

Follow the steps in the next card to begin the process