Protect your idea

A patent is a form of intellectual property (IP) where a government confers a right for a set period to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention. The patent duration typically lasts for 20 years. 

Patents can be applied for in order to protect a new device, a new therapeutic agent, a new material, a new diagnostic, or a new process. 

In some instances, a new use of an existing compound or apparatus or a new combination of known materials may be patentable, if it is advantageous. 

Before an application for a patent is made, the invention must remain a secret. Public disclosure of the invention will - for the most part - negate the ability to gain patent protection. A disclosure can be in the form of a manuscript, thesis, oral presentation, a poster, social media post or even a discussion, without a confidentiality agreement in place.

As with any employment, the employer owns the IP generated by its employees and this is also true for academics at UCL. 

The university has a defined IP Policy and through UCL Ventures has the resources to secure and protect its IP. 

Learn more about IP and UCL policies through this training module from UCL Innovation and Enterprise. 

Not every idea is patentable. To qualify, an invention must meet five essential criteria:

1. It must be novel. This means that it must not have been described or demonstrated in any way, shape or form in the public domain.
2. It must be something that can be made and used, a technical process, or a method of doing something.
3. There must be evidence that the invention works and give sufficient detail for a skilled person to reproduce the invention with only routine effort.
4. It must not fall into an excluded category. These include computer programs, mathematical methods, artistic creations, medical treatments and diagnostic methods performed on a person or animal, and biological processes to produce plants or animals.
5. It must be inventive. This means the solution provided is non obvious to a skilled person in the field. For example, painting a device a different colour is unlikely to be considered inventive, but a formulation of paint that dries faster, or holds its colour better under radiation, might be.

UCL Ventures covers all fees related to obtaining a patent for UCL staff.

However, the decision to patent depends on the commercial viability of the opportunity and the commitment of the inventors to develop the IP to a stage where it is of interest to a licensee, spinout company or investor.

We are unable to support patent filings solely intended to support grant applications or promote the research of an individual or lab.

If your invention does not currently meet the patentability criteria, where possible we will provide guidance around how you might improve the patentability position, or whether there are other forms of protection such as copyright, database rights or trademarks that we can use.

Read more about our Portico Ventures model for how we can help with nonpatentable ideas here.

We will assign you a Business Manager who knows your area of research. Want to know who is responsible for your department? Go here.

Capture the details of the technology, the inventors, funding sources and your thoughts on the commercial applications of the research, to help us assess its viability and most appropriate steps.

Your Business Manager will work with you to thoroughly assess patentability, strategic fit and commercial potential; this may take some time and require further information from you.

If we believe there is a commercially viable application, UCL Ventures will appoint one of our experienced partner patent attorneys to draft and file a patent application. Filing costs are covered by UCL Ventures.

Once your patent application has been filed, you may be able to publish or discuss your invention publicly. 

However, this is not always the case, so you should seek advice from your Business Manager before any disclosure.