Research Development and Innovation

After determining that commercialisation can be reasonably expected, the project manager will assess the options of the IP protection strategy.

1. Where patenting is the preferred method of IP protection the Office of Industry and Innovation, in conjunction with external patent attorneys and the researcher(s), will file a patent application. We will fund the provisional patent provided the inventors assist with an internal search, or provide funding for an external patent search.
2. UWA is committed to developing the commercial possibilities of researchers' discoveries, where possible. There may be cases where an invention is deemed novel and patentable but not commercially viable. In such cases, we may decline to fund the patent costs.
3. Similarly, we may determine after review that even though the IP may be patentable, it is agreed to maintain the project as a trade secret until further research is completed and scientific milestones met. We can assist during further development, especially to ensure an adequate review of publication and discussion materials is performed, so that confidential information is not publicly disclosed.
4. It is expected the commercialisation activities and agreements with external parties will lead to the recovery of IP protection costs such as provisional and Patent Co-operaton Treaty costs, Plant Breeders Rights application costs and the like. These costs will be recovered by us prior to any revenue distribution to inventors.
5. We will only fund provisional patents and will not continue to fund the patent process past the Patent Co-operaton Treaty stage without a commercial partner or a compelling reason to do so.
6. Where Patent Co-operaton Treaty or later stage patent applications are required and where they are not funded by us, the applications may be paid for by funds from the department, school or centre and UWA will remain as the assignee of the patent.