For Inventors

Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (VPRI), is an interface that works for the protection and commercialization of inventions from Koç University Laboratories within the framework of patents or other intellectual property rights. By transforming scientific outputs with commercial potential into a material value, VPRI helps the pioneer, early stage technologies emerging at the University to be made available to the public, and at the same time to contribute financially to the University and the inventor. In this context, you can reach us on any issue you need support: Pelin Gündoğdu 

Invention Notification Processes

Why should I report an Invention?

If a successful commercialization activity takes place, there will be prestige that comes with bringing technology into society, as well as generating personal income and enabling projects to be carried out with industry partners. Making an invention notification is the first step in protecting your invention. Invention Notification forms are first evaluated by VPRI employees in terms of both commercial and protection methodology, and a commercialization strategy is determined for the relevant technology.

How can I make an Invention Notification?

You can fill in the Invention Notification form completely and send it to us. Invention notification is a form that makes it easier for you to explain in detail your invention that you have realized by using the resources and facilities of the university, on the subject you are working at the university, to the technology transfer office.

Click for the application form

Ownership / Who is the applicant?

All rights on inventions discovered by university staff, graduate and doctoral students using university facilities within Koç University belong to Koç University.

When should I declare the invention?

Invention notification should be made before any written or verbal explanation about the invention is made to third parties. It includes all written, oral and visual explanations in the form of disclosure to third parties, participation in a conference or any meeting, publishing an article or poster, presentation.

Who are the inventors?

The inventor is the owner of the idea that contains the essential element of the invention. Persons who make prototype studies and experiments and draw technical drawings while working on the idea that is the subject of the invention should be evaluated independently of the invention activity. VPRI cannot play an active role in determining inventors and contribution rates, inventors are determined based on the declaration made in the invention notification form.

Patent Application Processes

After the invention notification forms reach the VPRI, our office stays in close contact with the inventor and evaluates the invention within the framework of patentability criteria, the final decision is made by the Intellectual Property Rights Board. With this decision, a protection strategy is determined considering the commercial potential of the invention and the patent application process is started. A patent application is made in the form of a national application (TR) or an international application (PCT) in line with the protection strategy. The patent application document is created with the support of the inventors, targeting the most comprehensive protection scope, and it is aimed to make the application as soon as possible and to gain the inventor’s freedom of publication as soon as possible. In various stages of the application process, the invention is evaluated both from a commercial potential and a technical point of view, and decisions such as country selection, continuation of protection, evaluation of the research report, revision of the scope of protection, etc. related to the patent/patent application process are guided.

Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (VPRI) provides services at the “implementation phase” regarding externally supported research and innovation programs. The support process, which starts with listening to the research resource needs of researchers, continues with project management services provided throughout the duration of a funded study.

Licensing Processes

The “Technology Transfer” process starts with the protection of ideas/inventions with Commercial Potential as “Intellectual Property”.

Patent Protection: First of all, inventions that are believed to be converted into “Commercial Value” are granted patent protection. (It doesn’t matter if the technology is at an early stage here / it’s enough that it has potential)

Patent Portfolio Creation and Management: Patented technologies are treated as a portfolio – managed as such (Center of Excellence Creation)

Finding commercial stakeholders: In this process, players related to these technologies are researched and commercial stakeholders are actively sought in line with the commercialization strategy. After this process, if the technology is successfully commercialized, VPRI license income is distributed in line with the University’s standard sharing policy.

Transfer of technology to market: After IP is protected (usually in the form of a patent application), the most appropriate way to commercialize the relevant technology is determined:

Technology Licensing: License agreement with a commercial institution… Start-up Firm / Entrepreneurship: