Office of Technology Transfer

Evaluation of invention disclosures

The Office of Technology Transfer considers a number of aspects of each invention disclosure to determine the viability of the disclosure for commercialization.  These include:

• Does the university own the technology?
• Do provisions of a Material Transfer Agreement or funding agreement (Sponsored Project Agreement, Clinical Study Agreement, etc.) govern or restrict our rights in this invention?
• Can the invention be protected through legal means such as through the Patent and Trademark Office's criteria for a patentable invention?
• Is UTPA willing and able to enforce its patent rights that cover the invention?
• Can this invention lead to one or more commercial products?
• Is the invention well developed, or will it require significant additional research?
• How big is the potential market?
• What competitive advantages would this new product(s) have in the marketplace over competing products or technologies?
• Are there significant limitations to the technology?

The answers to these questions will determine if the university will seek legal protection and market the invention.