You’ve conducted your research and found that, along the way, you may have developed an invention, or innovation, with commercial potential … Now what?

 

That’s where we can help.

Before you publish your data, present it at a conference, or otherwise share your ideas with outside parties, submit an invention disclosure to the Innovation Institute.

The information you provide to us in the invention disclosure form will be then reviewed by the Technology Transfer Committee, a committee of Pitt administrators and faculty peers, in its monthly meeting to evaluate the commercial potential of the innovation and our ability to protect it through patents, copyrights or other intellectual property (IP) rights.

Please note: Submitting an invention disclosure form does not provide any form of IP protection for your invention. This is solely the first step in seeking patent protection (or any other form of IP protection) for your innovation and determining its commercial potential.

How to Submit

Invention disclosure form submission comprises of two steps:

STEP 1: Completing the invention disclosure form online

Pitt utilizes an online invention disclosure form submission system that is simple and easy to use. This online system will prompt you to provide the essential information to record and evaluate your invention.

A step-by-step web tutorial on submitting an invention disclosure form can be viewed HERE.

What to Submit in the Invention Disclosure Form?

  • Name, contact details, and affiliations of all named innovators
  • Detailed description of invention
  • List of most relevant public information (posters/publications/patents) closely related to the invention
  • Details of funding (agency/company, contract/grant number) used to develop the invention
  • Details of any agreement related to this invention (CDA, MTA, sponsored research agreement etc.)
  • List of any past or anticipated public disclosure related to the invention

STEP 2: Submitting the signed invention disclosure form to the Innovation Institute

  • Once you provide relevant information on your invention via online invention disclosure form submission system as described above, the system will generate a pdf of the completed invention disclosure form.
  • All innovators listed in the invention disclosure form are required to sign this form and send it to the Innovation Institute.
  • Invention disclosure forms will not be reviewed by the Technology Transfer Committee until signatures of all innovators are obtained by the Innovation Institute.

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

Submit Disclosure

Invention Disclosure Form Submission Deadline

Technology Transfer Committee (TTC) meets once a month (except in August and December) on the fourth Tuesday to review all invention disclosure forms that were submitted by the deadline. Any invention disclosure form submitted after that deadline is generally reviewed in the next month’s TTC meeting. Invention disclosure form submission deadlines for fiscal year 2018 can be found below.
Disclosures received by 5 p.m. on the deadline date will be considered for discussion at Tech Transfer Committee (TTC) meeting that month.  Otherwise it will be reviewed the next month.

FY 2017-18 Invention Disclosure Form Submission Deadlines

 

April 11, 2018

May 9, 2018

June 13, 2018

If you have any questions about invention disclosure form submission process, please contact the Innovation Institute at 412-383-7670.