Once an invention is disclosed, the path to commercialization begins with critical assessments to determine whether the technology has a market, a market need, and can be patented or otherwise IP-protected. In some cases those assessments return with too many negatives — there may be too little interest among licensees or investors, difficulty in scaling up, competition and regulatory risks, and many other challenges that can be too difficult to overcome despite the TTO’s best efforts.
Rather than having the case files simply gather dust, the intellectual property can be — and in many cases should be — released back to the inventor. But that also has its challenges. For one, you must be very clear on restrictions and rights when doing so because there are many players and factors to consider. There’s also the valuable relationship with the inventor, which should be preserved and even strengthened. A delicate touch is necessary to communicate why the IP is being released, what led to the decision, and what the rights of the university, funding sources, and faculty are in relation to the innovation.
To address these issues, our Distance Learning Division recently teamed with Magdalena K. Morgan, PhD, Director of Licensing at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Innovation Gateway, for this insightful distance learning program: Returning Intellectual Property to the Inventor: How, Why, When…Then What? Based on rave reviews from attendees and continuing interest in the topic, we’ve scheduled an encore presentation for July 21, 2022.
For complete program details or to register, click here.
Also coming soon:
