Office of
Research Services

Ownership

Who owns UMKC's inventions?

Like nearly all universities, the University of Missouri's policy states that the university has first rights to acquire title to any invention that results from use of university resources or university-administered funds.

External sponsors of research often require disclosure and patenting of results when appropriate, and they may have some ownership rights. If the university and sponsoring agency decide not to protect and transfer an invention, ownership rights are waived to the developer(s).

If you’ve created your intellectual property with university resources, you’ll need to complete an Invention Disclosure Form. We’ll evaluate your technology and help you explore its commercial potential.

However, if your intellectual property did not rely on university resources, you may want to request a waiver or non-assertion of university rights. Contact us for more information about this process.