When a laboratory collaborates with a company, it is necessary to have the appropriate agreement in place and to know the principles governing the intellectual property of EPFL.
Different types of agreements are available to establish collaborations with industry.
Type: Research project executed by the laboratory with budget and timelines
IP conditions: Priority right to file patent applications for Company with exclusive right in a field of use. Company has a non-exclusive license on the software
Publications: Right to publish within reasonable deadlines
Budget: All the direct laboratory costs (salaries, consumables, travel, etc.) + 40% overhead
Documents:
Type: Innosuisse innovation project executed by the laboratory and a company
IP conditions: Priority right to file patent applications for company with exclusive right in a field of use. company has a non-exclusive license on the software
Publications: Right to publish within reasonable deadlines
Budget: According to Innosuisse project application
Documents:
Type: Research project executed by the laboratory with budget and timelines
IP conditions: EPFL remains the owner of the IPR. Option for company to negotiate a license on an invention or software
Publications: Right to publish with a deadline to protect the IPR
Budget: All the direct laboratory costs (salaries, consumables, travel, etc..) + 20% overhead
Documents:
Type: Research project executed by the laboratory with budget and timelines
IP conditions: EPFL will release to the public domain without restrictions all results, through scientific publications, conferences proceedings, reports, open-source software. Neither EPFL nor the company will file patents on EPFL results
Publications: Right to timely publish with a deadline
Budget: Direct laboratory costs (salaries, consumables, travel, etc..) + 20% overhead
Documents:
Type: Performance of a service (measurement, test, etc.) not involving research
IP conditions: Company owns the data obtained by EPFL. Methods and tools remains at EPFL
Publications: No publication right without company approval
Budget: All the direct laboratory costs (salaries, consumables, travel, etc.) + 60% overhead
Documents:
Type: Voluntary gift from a company to a researcher or a lab
IP conditions: EPFL remains the owner of the IPR. No benefit for the company, except acknowledgment of the funding
Publications: Right to publish without restriction
Budget: 0% overhead
Documents:
The EPFL Directive on research contracts and technology transfer (LEX 3.4.1) defines the rules and responsibility applicable to the research agreements. Do not hesitate to contact TTO as soon as possible to prepare the appropriate agreement or if you have any specific question about collaboration agreements.
For research agreement potentially involving dual use technologies (civil and military) please Click here
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