Disclosing an invention for the first time

Kaisa Lehosmaa, University of Oulu Postdoctoral Researcher from Ecology and Genetics, made her first invention disclosure in the beginning of 2022.  

Kaisa realized that her research contains an invention that should be reported when she discussed with the research team leader Dos. Anna Maria Pirttilä. They considered that the results could have potential for a new invention. 

Kaisa said that making a disclosure for an invention was not difficult but challenging because she had not previously considered the research results from the point of view of commercialization. During the process she learned that processing of the invention disclosure is interactive, and it is progressed through expert evaluation. 

She also learned that when disclosing an invention there is a feed paid for it. University of Oulu pays an invention disclosure fee of 300 € per invention divided by number of inventors. 

When asking Kaisa if she has any suggestions on how to raise awareness of invention disclosures among researchers, she tells a good point. Kaisa thinks that giving an example of an invention disclosure to researchers could illustrate the potential of different disciplines for the commercialization of research results. 

NOTICE: 

• Reporting obligation comes from the invention law and is possible also from funding terms and agreement between project parties. 

• Read more how to disclose an invention from Patio (internal University of Oulu link): Invention disclosure | Patio (oulu.fi) 

This text is written based on Kaisa’s interview first published in the Innovation Centre newsletter 04/2022.