On this page: 1. Reporting an Invention | 2. What you will need | 3. Signing off on an Online Invention Disclosure | 4. Invention Submission Timeline | McGill Policy Documents and Contact Information

Submitting a report of invention form to the Office of Innovation + Partnerships is a crucial first step which allows our Technology Transfer Managers to assess the commercial potential and possible avenues of IP protection for your Invention. The sections below contain useful information that will walk you through the invention disclosure process.

1. Reporting an Invention

McGill has an easy-to-use online portal with which you can submit a new disclosure form. Click here to access the online portal using your McGill Username and Password.

Please note that the Office of Innovation will no longer be accepting reports of invention through any other submission methods.

2. What You Will Need

Please make sure you have the following information or files before submission:

The online disclosure form will ask general information regarding your invention that will help the Office in its assessment. Please make sure that you have the following information or files before submission. Among the information that you will need to complete the form is the following:

• Date of first public disclosure of your invention and the manner in which it was disclosed. If disclosure has not yet occurred, we will need a projected date.
• List of McGill or affiliated hospital researchers involved who are either considered inventors or contributors and who will be receiving a percentage of any potential licensing revenue. Please note that the revenue share must add up to 100%. You will need to enter a valid email address for each inventor.
• Information regarding any sponsors for your invention. This includes any grants or other funds used. You will need a contract number, if applicable.
• Confidential and non-confidential summaries of the invention.
• Any relevant manuscripts, figures, presentations or any other files that describe the invention. These can be uploaded in the online portal.

3. Signing off on an Online Invention Disclosure

How to Sign off on an Invention:

1. Click here to log in to the online portal with your McGill username and password.

2. You will see all the online disclosures for which you have been named as a researcher. Please click on the one for which you received the notification email.

You will see the online disclosure as submitted, along with any documents that were uploaded. Please review the contents and any attachments.

4. If you are in agreement with the contents you will have to click on the checkbox beside you name to sign off on the invention disclosure. (Please see the red arrow below).

If you are not in agreement, or have any comments that you wish to make, please click on the email icon beside your name to submit a comment to the Office of Innovation.

Please note that a researcher cannot sign off or submit comments on behalf of another researcher. Each researcher must individually sign in to our online portal and sign off on the disclosure before the Office can proceed.

5. Once you signed off on the disclosure and/or submitted your comment you can log out of the portal.

4. Invention Submission Timeline

The online disclosure form is part of a larger process that the Office undertakes to review and assess new inventions. The timeline is as follows:

1. Once an online disclosure form has been submitted, the Office will examine it for completeness within 3 weeks.
2. If the form is incomplete, the disclosing researcher will receive an email detailing what elements are missing. They will need to log in to the portal and amend and resubmit the online disclosure form, which will once again be examined for completeness.
3. If the disclosure form is complete, all the McGill researchers named on the form will need to log in to the online portal using their McGill username and password, and virtually sign off and confirm that they have read the online disclosure and agree with the contents, including the revenue distribution percentages. Any researchers who are no longer at McGill and do not have access to their former McGill username and password will receive login information in a separate email. Please note that all the researchers will need to log in individually and sign off on the disclosure form. Lead or individual researchers cannot confirm on behalf of another researcher.
4. If any researchers have objections or concerns, they can contact the Office directly through the online disclosure form summary page.
5. Once all the McGill researchers have signed off on the disclosure form, the disclosing researcher will receive an email confirming that the invention has been accepted for review by the Office and that a preliminary review will be done within sixty (60) days. A technology transfer manager will also be assigned to the invention at this time.

McGill Policy Documents and Contact Information

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to consult McGill’s policy documents or contact the Technology Transfer Manager responsible for your faculty or hospital. 

McGill Policy on Copyright

McGill Policy on Inventions and Software

McGill Guidelines on the Application of the Policy on Inventions and Software

Contact Information for your Department