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Understanding Disclosures

An invention's first step on the commercialization's path is its disclosure. 

Disclosing an invention is required by Northwestern policy and needed to comply with sponsored research agreements. Providing adequate time for INVO to file with the USPTO is essential. If your invention is filed after any public disclosure, such as a publication or talk, the ability to protect any future patent may be limited. Please keep in mind that while submitting an invention disclosure is the start of the INVO process, inventors must wait until an application has been filed with the USPTO before publicly disclosing an invention.

Disclosing an invention is not always straightforward; the following information may help answer common questions about disclosure. 

For additional questions, see our FAQs page.