The Innovation Disclosure Form is a confidential document that provides a written, dated record of the creation of an invention or copyrighted work.
The form provides fields to fully describe the invention or copyrighted work and to include detailed information that helps determine the discovery’s commercial potential. MSU Technologies uses a single form for both inventions and copyrighted works. Download the form below:
Forms may be emailed to ipdocs@msu.edu or to the technology manager assigned to your department.
Submit the Innovation Disclosure Form to MSU Technologies soon after the invention or work is conceived and before publishing your research. Early disclosure reduces the risk of irreversible errors that could prevent patenting a technology and facilitates the collection of required signatures and records from students and postdocs who may leave the university.
As stated in the university Patent Policy, all university inventions should be disclosed to the university prior to disclosing via any other form of communication (e.g., publications, presentations, or communications with third parties). Therefore, alert our staff to:
- any upcoming publications or presentations related to the invention
- any related sponsored research contracts and activities
- any third parties who may be interested in commercializing the invention
Also, include supporting data and copies of all literature references with the innovation disclosure. Submitting complete information helps MSUT make informed, timely decisions and makes it easier for an attorney to draft a patent application if the university decides to file one.
The next step in the technology transfer process is screening.