THE CENTER FOR RESEARCH INNOVATION
SUBMIT A DISCLOSURE
The desire to have impact through research and innovations is a universal theme at Northeastern University. The CRI is your dedicated partner in this pursuit, offering strategic intellectual property protection, venture creation resources and access to corporate relationships. It is the goal of the CRI to provide a high level of service, and accordingly, the CRI looks forward to any questions or feedback.
Electronic invention disclosure forms should be completed in their entirety and electronically signed by each Northeastern inventor prior to review by CRI. You are able to complete the disclosure form in multiple sittings by saving your disclosure as a draft and resuming your work the next time you login.
Getting started is easy—follow the steps below to submit your disclosure.
Submit a Disclosure
What a Complete Disclosure Includes
Names, addresses, contact information, and affiliation of all inventors
- Addresses need to be residential addresses, using NU’s main address is not sufficient.
- Both a work/student email as well as an alternative email should be provided so that we may be in touch with all of the inventors throughout the review process and any patent process.
- If an inventor is from another organization (e.g. another university or a corporate entity), their affiliation with that organization should be made clear in the disclosure so that NU can be in touch with the other organization about the joint invention. When adding this inventor to the disclosure be sure to select company name as their affiliate university or corporate entity.
- Remember, an inventor is someone who has contributed to the conception of the invention. A person who has carried out validating experiments or provided data by way of standard testing is generally not considered an inventor for patent purposes.
Funding information
- Was the research that led to this invention funded by (1) the government (federal or otherwise), (2) a corporate sponsor, (3) a gift, or (4) other?
- If the answer is yes, the disclosure form should include the name of the funding agency, sponsor, or donor, as well as the grant number or agreement number.
- Grant numbers should be provided in the exact same format as stated on the grant agreement itself.
- Each agency’s format is different, and the proper format is important for reporting purposes.
- If the invention was funded by an SRA or a gift and you have a copy of that agreement, its inclusion in the disclosure as an attachment is appreciated.
Enabling disclosure
- A sufficient and enabling description of the invention is the most important element of the disclosure. The purpose of a provisional patent application is to preserve the priority date. A priority date draws a line in the sand and establishes the cutoff date for what prior art the patent office will examine when judging any eventual patent application for novelty and non-obviousness.
- In order to effectively preserve the priority date, there must be an enabled description of the invention. Enabled means that the disclosure describes the invention in such technical detail that anyone else with ordinary skill in the field would be able to reproduce the invention without undue experimentation.
Date of disclosure
- Disclose as soon as you are in possession of the invention and at least 4 weeks in advance of any public disclosure.
- Any plans to disclose publicly by publishing a paper (in print or online) or presenting or speaking at a conference or other event, should be made explicitly clear in the disclosure.
- The CRI requires at least 4 weeks notice prior to public disclosure. If you do not submit your disclosure with sufficient notice, the CRI cannot guarantee that a provisional patent application will be filed in advance of the public disclosure.
- If you disclose publicly before any patent application is filed, you lose the possibility of foreign protection in most jurisdictions, but you can still pursue US patent rights as long as you file within one year of the public disclosure.
Create An Account
Register
Visit the Inventor Portal and click “Create Account.” Use your Northeastern email to set up your login credentials.
Verify
Click the verification link sent to your email to activate your account.
Access
Log in to submit disclosures, track their status, and monitor patent applications and licenses.
Submit a Disclosure
Submit your invention through the CRI Inventor Portal for review and next steps toward protection and commercialization.
What to know
- Disclosures must be complete and signed by all Northeastern inventors
- You can save your disclosure as a draft and return to it later
- Submit as early as possible—and at least 4 weeks before any public disclosure
Need help? Contact [email protected]
Initial internal review
CRI conducts a preliminary assessment of your invention’s commercial potential and patentability, considering technology readiness, market size, competing products, regulatory challenges, and financial viability.
Timeline
CRI requires a minimum of 4 weeks to complete the review. Expedited filings for disclosures submitted with less than 4 weeks notice cannot be guaranteed.
Be detailed
Provide as much detail as possible in your disclosure—you know your technology’s benefits best.
Industry Interest
Contact CRI about non-disclosure agreements if commercial entities have approached you or you’re interested in potential partnerships.
Need help? Contact [email protected]
Provisional decision
Based on CRI’s initial review, a decision is made on whether to pursue patent protection.
CRI moves forward
- A provisional patent application is filed to secure a priority date
- Not all provisionals advance to a full (non-provisional) patent application
CRI does not move forward
- Inventors are notified
-
You may choose to pursue patent protection independently, with CRI’s guidance
Full Filing Decision
During the provisional year, CRI continues commercialization and determines whether to pursue a non-provisional patent based on market response and technology readiness.
CRI files a non-provisional
- Inventors work with CRI’s outside counsel to draft a U.S. utility or international (PCT) application
- Ongoing collaboration continues throughout patent prosecution
Filing paths
- U.S. Utility: Prosecution begins immediately; Office Actions are expected and routinely addressed by counsel
- PCT (International): Countries are selected within 30–31 months, followed by prosecution in each chosen jurisdiction
CRI does not continue
Inventors are notified and may pursue patent protection independently, at their own expense, with CRI’s guidance.
Commercialization & Patenting
If a non-provisional patent is filed, CRI continues marketing the technology to industry and helps connect inventors with potential partners.
NEXT STEPS
- CRI coordinates meetings, agreements, and licensing discussions
- Industry feedback is shared with inventors and informs patent decisions
- Inventors remain involved during patent prosecution and are notified when patents are granted
License Revenue
terms
Marketing & Outreach
What this includes
- Identifying key markets and potential industry partners
- Engaging companies to explore licensing opportunities
- Gathering industry feedback and sharing insights with inventors
Industry input helps inform both commercialization strategy and IP decisions.
QUESTIONS?
If you have a technology ready to make an impact on our world, or just have questions about submitting a disclosure, contact [email protected]