1. Communicating with CCTEC

Before you formally disclose an invention to CCTEC, it is a good idea to keep your CCTEC licensing officer informed of your research and publishing plans. Early communication can ensure a better evaluation of your invention's market potential and social value, and whether you need to file a patent application prior to publication to protect your intellectual property rights.

2. Making a Disclosure

If you think have made an invention or discovery, you must report it to CCTEC by completing an invention disclosure form. An invention disclosure form is a simple three-page document that describes your invention. The invention disclosure form should be submitted with a written description of the invention. Additional manuscripts, explanatory drawings, and supporting data are also very helpful. To ensure maximal protection rights for your invention, it is important to file an invention disclosure form before you publish your research paper. After you disclose your invention to CCTEC, a licensing officer will be assigned to manage the invention and will be in contact with you shortly.

3. Assess Invention

Once you've disclosed your innovation to CCTEC, the next step is to meet with a licensing officer to discuss its potential. You and your licensing officer will work together to answer the following questions:

• What problem does the invention solve?
• What is the potential market for the invention?
• Does the invention offer a cheaper and/or better way of doing something?
• Are there competing technologies available? How much better is the new invention than its competitors?
• Do you intend to continue working in this area?
• Would you be willing and able to conduct experiments in order to develop this invention?
• Does it have the potential to create a new market?
• How much investment, in both time and money, will be required to bring the invention to market?
• Is there potential for a start up company to create a business based on the invention that can foster regional economic development?

4. Protecting Innovation

To ensure eligibility for U.S. patent rights covering your work, a patent application must be filed within one year of publication. To maintain patent rights in the rest of the world, a patent application must be filed prior to publication. Therefore, if you are interested in developing your new inventions commercially, please contact CCTEC immediately if and when you are about to disclose new ideas or research results through the following:

1. submission of a pre-publication manuscript
2. submission of a meeting abstract
3. any kind of seminar (large or small) or other presentation.

Not all invention disclosures submitted to CCTEC are appropriate for patenting. CCTEC will work with you to determine the potential and patentability of any disclosed inventions. If the decision is made to go ahead with a patent application, CCTEC will manage the process.

5. Marketing Innovation

If you and your licensing officer agree there is market potential for your invention, CCTEC will begin to market your invention to license to industry. To reach industry partners, CCTEC generates non-confidential marketing materials and a list of target companies. Your industry contacts can be of great value in finding the right licensee for the invention. It's estimated that 80% of university licensing deals begin with the inventor's relationships in industry.

6. Negotiating with Potential Licensees

Once a potential licensee has expressed interest in licensing your invention, the licensee may sign a Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement with CCTEC so you and your licensing officer can discuss your invention in detail with the potential licensee. If the discussion reaches the negotiation stage, your licensing officer will negotiate terms and sign a license with the licensing company.

7. License or Start up Company

CCTEC licenses Cornell intellectual property to companies ranging from the Fortune 500, to medium and small business. If you wish to form a start up company around your invention, CCTEC will work with you to connect you to potential investors.

8. Post-Agreement Services

After a license is signed, CCTEC continues to maintain a relationship with the licensee. CCTEC tracks the diligence of the licensee in their development of your intellectual property into products that have market and social value. If the industry environment changes or the licensee fails to uphold its contractual obligations, CCTEC may re-negotiation your initial license. Finally, if your invention earns royalties, CCTEC distributes them according to university policy to the appropriate university stakeholders and inventors.

CCTEC will retain the initial royalties to recover any remaining patenting cost incurred; in addition, royalties earned will be distributed as follows:

• the inventor will receive one third
• CCTEC will recieve one third
• the remainder is split between Cornell and the inventor's "unit"; the definition of what constitutes a "unit" and the distribution between units is made by the inventor's college dean.