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Learn more about working with 果冻影院 Business (果冻影院B), and what your options are if they鈥檙e unable to commercialise new IP from your research.
Commercialising research can be a powerful way to make a real difference in the world.
Taking ideas to market can be a complex and risky process. Even the best ideas may not have a straightforward or successful route to market. Here we outline the process of working with 果冻影院B, and some of the options and alternatives available to you.
Your first contact with 果冻影院B should be through your . You may need to provide further details of your idea using an .
果冻影院B will use the information you provide to make an initial assessment of the business potential of your idea.
If your idea isn鈥檛 ready for commercialisation
果冻影院B may decide your idea is at too early a stage and requires further work before they can properly evaluate its potential.
If this is the case, your Business Manager will suggest steps you can take to develop your idea. This may involve working with other teams in 果冻影院 Innovation & Enterprise (for example, to apply for Knowledge Exchange funding).
If 果冻影院B take on your idea
If 果冻影院B agree your idea has commercial potential, they鈥檒l work with you to:
- identify the best route to commercialisation聽
- develop your idea further (this could involve sourcing funds to develop a prototype or proof of concept)
- carry out some market research (this could involve talking to potential customers and researching if anything similar is already on the market)
If, after completing this work, 果冻影院B agree there is a market for the new idea, they鈥檒l work with you towards commercialisation. This could involve creating a spinout or social enterprise, licensing the new technology, or establishing a collaborative R&D project with an external partner.
In these cases, 果冻影院B鈥檚 role would include protecting any IP (for example, by patenting new technology, registering designs or trademarks, etc.)
If 果冻影院B can鈥檛 take forward your idea
There can be a number of reasons why an idea can鈥檛 be taken forward by 果冻影院B. It could be that there isn鈥檛 a big enough market, or the product is too similar to others on the market or another existing patent.
If 果冻影院B formally decide they cannot take forward your idea, your Business Manager will give you a written explanation as to why. They鈥檒l also refer you to 果冻影院 Innovation & Enterprise who can help you explore alternative options for taking your work forwards.
This also means 果冻影院B are unlikely to maintain IP protection (for example patents, trademarks, etc.)
In rare circumstances, it may be necessary for 果冻影院 to maintain patents even if 果冻影院B is not planning to exploit them. In this case, the decision to maintain the patent will be made by a group convened by 果冻影院 Innovation & Enterprise and including your faculty dean or another representative. The decision to maintain a patent will be reviewed annually (or as required). The costs for maintaining the patent will be the responsibility of your department.
Transferring ownership of IP
If 果冻影院B decide not to pursue commercialisation and 果冻影院 doesn't need to maintain the patent (or other IP protection), it may be possible for ownership of the IP to be transferred to you as an individual.
Ownership of IP is transferred through an assignment agreement, which will set out certain conditions. For example, there鈥檒l need to be an anti-embarrassment clause, which gives 果冻影院 a financial return on any revenue made from successful commercialisation.
You鈥檒l be responsible for maintaining the patent (or other IP protection) going forward. For example, you鈥檒l need to use your own money to cover annual renewals costs, legal fees etc. and you鈥檒l be responsible for instructing a patent agent.
You should be aware that, if 果冻影院 no longer owns the IP and has only limited rights in respect of its use, there may be restrictions on obtaining grant funding using the IP.
Flowcharts
Download flowcharts illustrating the processes outlined above when: