Invention Disclosure

You’ve conducted your research and found that you may have developed something new and useful … Now what?

Submit an Intellectual Property Disclosure Form, or continue reading for instruction.

That’s where we can help.

Before you disclose your newly created intellectual property to the public through publication, presentation at a conference, or otherwise share your ideas with outside parties, submit an Intellectual Property Disclosure Form (IPDF) to the Innovation Institute.

The information you provide to us in the IPDF will be used to evaluate the commercial potential of the innovation and our ability to protect it through patents, copyrights or other intellectual property protection.

Please note: The submission of an IPDF is just the first step toward seeking intellectual property rights protection. The Innovation Institute’s Inventor’s Guide contains more information on the process of obtaining intellectual property protection.

How to Submit

Notice: We have recently updated the Invention Disclosure Portal and form to improve the user experience.

    • You can now login to the portal with your Pitt Passport credentials rather than creating a unique username and password.
    • Additionally, the form is now composed of a single page containing all form fields.
    • Finally, you now have the ability to search for and populate your Pitt co-innovators easily with the search feature built into the form. Even non-Pitt innovators who have been previously entered into the system will appear in the search.

STEP 1: Completing the IPDF online

Pitt utilizes an online IPDF submission system that is simple and easy to use. This online system will prompt you for the essential information needed to document and evaluate your innovation.

What to Submit in the IPDF:

  • Name, contact details, and affiliations of all named innovators including any joint appointments (Search feature is enabled for Pitt co-innovators and non-Pitt people previously entered into the system.)
  • Detailed description of intellectual property including labeled sketches/diagrams of devices, compounds or processes that can be uploaded as supplemental information. Include the potential commercial product or process envisioned
  • List of most relevant public information (posters/publications/patents) closely related to the intellectual property
  • Details of funding (agency/company, contract/grant number) used to develop the intellectual property
  • Copies of any agreement related to this invention (CDA, MTA, sponsored research agreement etc.)

STEP 2: Submitting the signed IPDF to the Innovation Institute

  • Once you provide relevant information on your innovation via online IPDF submission system as described above, the system will generate a pdf of the completed IPDF.
  • All innovators listed in the IPDF are required to sign this form, which will be sent to each innovator via DocuSign for signature.
  • Signatures of all innovators must be obtained before a decision to protect the intellectual property can be determined.

Ready to submit your Intellectual Property? Click the “Submit Disclosure” button below.

 

Submit Disclosure

 

Invention Disclosure Review

When you submit your invention disclosure to the Innovation Institute, it will be reviewed to determine the commercial merits of the submitted invention disclosures and the University’s ability to protect the intellectual property.  If the innovation is determined to be protectable and deemed to have commercial potential, the Innovation Institute will work with you to protect the intellectual property, using patents, copyrights, or research tool designations, as appropriate based on the technology.

If you have any questions about the invention disclosure form submission process, please contact the Innovation Institute at 412-383-7670 or email us at innovate@pitt.edu.

Contact us if you have any questions.

Innovation Institute
innovate@pitt.edu
(412) 383-7670

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