Vanderbilt's Commercialization Process: Disclosure
Disclosure of new inventions resulting from Vanderbilt research activities are made to CTTC by completion and submission of an invention disclosure form, thereby initiating the commercialization process. The form collects information regarding funding and/or third party material that we use to fulfill Vanderbilt’s obligations to the sponsor, including reporting of federally-funded inventions to the Government, and to accurately assess ownership of the invention. The disclosure form is used to create a record of an invention and to convey all of the information we may need to evaluate and protect the invention. Disclosure forms provide, among other things, detailed information about the invention (what it does, why it’s needed, and how it’s better than the state of the art), the current state of its development, potential companies that may have an interest in it, and names of contributors to the invention and the departments or centers with which they are associated.
For each disclosure form submitted, CTTC creates a unique VU number and database entry for the invention – creating an official disclosure date and record of the invention. Each named contributor receives a confirmation email informing them that their invention was received and processed, and identifies the licensing officer assigned to their case. During the initial assessment, the disclosure is reviewed for completeness and accuracy. Inventors will receive notice of any missing information within a few days after receipt. It is vitally important that invention disclosure forms are as complete as possible so that we have all necessary information needed to adequately protect the invention and fulfill all of Vanderbilt’s requirements related thereto.
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