UNCW's faculty are innovative. Parallel to the formal IP process is UNCW's desire to encourage, support, and facilitate all innovative and commercial ideas from its faculty.
Innovations such as patentable technologies and "non-patentable IP" (NPIP, such as software, integrated IT solutions, databases, research by-products) need to go through a formal process of disclosure and examination.
Every faculty member should become familiar with policies related to innovation-related disclosures.
The OIC is an integrated, "one-stop shopping" office with a specific mission to also assist faculty entrepreneurs and innovators to transition from "ideation" to "scalability" to "commercialization."
The OIC has a number of resources it can provide faculty innovators and entrepreneurs. These resources include the provision of direct funding, student assistance, mentoring, and guidance for patent processes, market research, and commercial product development.
In addition, the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) may provide incubator space, access to networking events, and other resources.
All inventions are required to be disclosed to the Office of Innovation and Commercialization prior to publication.
Please fill out and submit the invention disclosure form to our office email provided below, after which a staff member will respond. Note: Only questions 1-6 are required for the initial disclosure; additional information can be submitted at any time.
If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Innovation and Commercialization.
Email | Phone: 910.962.2014
It is very important at this stage to conduct a prior art search, which entails scouring databases for projects and ideas which share similarities to your invention. This is an important early step in assessing how broad, if any, the available patent protection for your invention would be. Once this information is obtained, the OIC team will schedule a review to discuss the potential patenting and licensing of your invention.
Review of patentability and commercial applicability is an iterative process between the inventor(s) and the Office of Innovation and Commercialization triggered by the disclosure of a patentable or non-patentable invention.