Tell Us About Your Idea

Invention Disclosure

A member of the Knowledge Transfer Team will support you in completing an Invention or Software Disclosure Form.

A disclosure form should be completed if you have evidence of a discovery that potentially may have a commercial application(s) either through licensing or through the creation of a spin-out company.

An invention should be disclosed to the Knowledge Transfer team before it has been published or presented in public. In most countries, disclosure can destroy the novelty and the inventive step of the invention thus greatly reducing or prohibiting the ability to protect the invention by patent.

A notable exception is the United States, where patent rights may be obtained until the first anniversary of the date of the first publication/disclosure describing the invention.

NovaUCD Invention Disclosure Form
NovaUCD Software Disclosure Form

UCD Intellectual Property Policy and Procedures

University College Dublin's Intellectual Property Policy and Procedures were developed in accordance with international best practice.

This Policy takes account of the changes in legislation, including the Copyright and Related Rights Act, 2000 and is consistent with Funding Agency Requirements and Guidelines for Managing Research-Generated Intellectual Property and the National Codes of Practice.

The Policy also provides for a significant level of commercial income to be distributed to researchers and other creators of Intellectual Property (IP). The distribution of commercial income is through the UCD payroll system and is paid regardless of your current employment status with UCD.