FOR NORTHWESTERN INVENTORS

 

1. Disclose your invention

Fill out the Invention Disclosure Form.
Please PRINT, SIGN, and RETURN the form to
Tech Transfer
1800 Sherman, #504
Evanston, IL 60201

According to patent law, publication or public disclosure of an invention negates the novelty requirement. Therefore, it is important to send your Invention Disclosure BEFORE any public disclosure is made of the invention. Tech Transfer is REQUIRED to report all inventions to your research sponsors, whether public or private.

Download information on Finding the Status of your patent application at the USPTO

 

2. Assessment and Patents

Tech Transfer @ Northwestern will:

1. Review disclosures in consultation with you, the Inventor(s)
2. Request a literature search from you, the Inventor(s)
3. Perform a patent search to determine the probability of meaningful patent protection and the freedom to operate in a commercial setting
4. File a patent application if novelty, utility, non-obviousness are met, and if the invention is enabling

Provisional patent applications are usually filed in the US, and within the first year these are converted to utility patent applications for filing in U.S. and worldwide, as warranted. Legal expenses and other fees for such filings are paid by Northwestern University.

3. Marketing

Tech Transfer @ Northwestern promotes your inventions to industry/investors.

After consultation with you, the Inventor, non-confidential material is prepared for distribution to targeted industry/investors to identify a potential partner for commercialization.

Commercial attractiveness is determined by two considerations:

1. The idea must be protectable (e.g., by valid patents or other means), so the company taking the risk and expense of development, seeking regulatory approval, and/or marketing, can control its use (and sale) for the life of the patents or long enough to receive a return on investment.
2. The idea must have market relevance large enough to justify investment in development, manufacture, sales and marketing.
   
   

Technical details of an invention may be disclosed under a confidential disclosure agreement. If further evaluation of the invention by the company, which often involves direct communication with the Inventor, leads to an interest for development and commercialization, license negotiations may begin. When additional University research is needed to determine the merit of the invention, a research agreement with an option to license may be appropriate.

More information and details on our process.

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