Policies and guidance
These documents provide guidance on processes and policies concerning how Imperial handles Intellectual Property (IP). This information is particularly relevant for Imperial staff who have made an invention or discovery in the course of their work.
Intellectual Property Guidance
Assignment of IP the College has chosen not to commercialise
Guidance for inventors on how to request assignment of IP that has been formally abandoned by Imperial Enterprise
Assignment of IP the College has chosen not to commercialise
Student IP Guidance
An overview of student IP ownership, exceptions and when they apply, and how students can seek an IP confirmation letter. This document also includes a flowchart that can be used to evaluate whether Imperial's student IP policy applies in a given case.
You can discover more, including an introductory video, via the Intellectual property for students web page.
Open source software licences
Guidance for Imperial academics who wish to release software under an open source licence. It includes a flowchart that can be used to guide decision-making about what type of licence to use. It outlines Imperial's preferred approach and includes an example licence template.
Generating IP in your lab after you form a spinout
Guidance for Imperial spinout founders who remain College employees on how to support due diligence, identify ownership, obligations and rights to use IP and maintain 'clean' IP for your company.
Other links and useful documents
College IP policy
This document sets out the College’s Intellectual Property (IP) Policy which governs the ownership and management of College IP and College’s discretionary Reward to Inventors Scheme. This policy applies to all College employees, associates and students.
Access to the document requires an Imperial log-in.
Any related queries should be forwarded to the Director of the Research Office.
Rewards to Inventors scheme (pdf)
Information on Imperial’s discretionary scheme for sharing the proceeds of IP commercialisation with Imperial employees. Access to the document requires an Imperial log-in.
A College guide to working with industry and commercialising your research (pdf)
An overview of the process leading to working with industry and commercialising inventions. Access to the document requires an Imperial log-in.
College signatories for IP agreements
An overview of the process IP of assignment from Imperial to Imperial College Innovations Ltd (ICIL) including authorised College signatories in the process and their delegated authorities. Access to the document requires an Imperial log-in.