What is Inventions, Commercialization & Entrepreneurship?
This section describes the steps at the University of Toronto (U of T) for protecting and moving research outputs into the market.
An ‘Invention’ is defined as a new product or process created using U of T resources. ‘Commercialization’ adds further social and economic value to an Invention through intellectual property (IP) protection, licensing and/or through the creation of a new company (‘Entrepreneurship’). An important aim is to turn University knowledge and innovations into new products or processes that can benefit the public.
Why is this process in place?
Inventions, Commercialization & Entrepreneurship at U of T supports three basic objectives, as outlined in the Inventions Policy.
- To encourage creativity and innovation within the University community
- To facilitate the translation of knowledge for the greatest possible public benefit, including by commercialization through development of Inventions into commercial products or processes
- To ensure that revenue generated by these Inventions is distributed in a manner consistent with the first two objectives and the advancement of research at the University
What do I need before I can begin?
No information is required to begin.
List of Topics
- Advise on U of T’s Inventions Policy
- Receive and evaluate Invention Disclosures for inventions created at U of T
- Support the protection of U of T IP through patenting and other means
- Assist in finding partners and funding to support proof-of-concept and commercialization
- Market U of T technologies and startups to industry and investors
- Negotiate license agreements
- Support entrepreneurs in creating commercially viable and sustainable start-ups
- Support long-term relationships with strategic partners to support the development of early-stage discoveries into market-ready technologies and products
Find the appropriate VPRI staff member to assist you by checking our staff directory.
