IP

Intellectual Property (IP) is something unique that you physically create. IP is a way of transforming your innovative new product or idea into your actual property. Copyright, patents, designs and trademarks are all types of intellectual property protection. It is a right that entitles you to (temporarily) be the only party that can reap the benefits of an intellectual accomplishment.

Do you have an inventive idea and do you think that you may be able to protect it with a patent? Then do not promote or discuss the part that may be protected in detail (for example in a presentation or during a demo day). You can protect your work during e.g. a presentation via a Non-Disclosure Agreement. If you do not protect your work, it will become public knowledge and can no longer be patented.

If you do not want to share the information you present with third parties (e.g. visitors on the demo day who are not an employee or student at the TU/e) you can book a separate room (one week before the demo day) to present to your examiner(s), fellow students and staff members. If you would like to reserve a room earlier than one week before, please make a reservation via the secretary of your teacher coach’s research group: contact information Future Everyday, or contact information Systemic Change.

You can only apply for a patent if the invention meets three conditions:

• Novel: it is not made public (e.g. published on a poster, in an article, presentation or on YouTube/Vimeo).
• Inventive: the "brainwave" of the inventor which is not obvious and/or easily replicated by an expert.
• Industrially applicable: invention will be translated in a product or process.

If you have questions about IP you can contact the TU/e Innovation Lab.

For more background information on IP, you can also check the Intellectual Property document on the Forms and files page.