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Protect my idea

Explore how to safeguard your work, get to know your rights and options, and find the support you need at every stage.

Protect and manage your idea

At Oxford University Innovation (OUI), we work with you to protect your ideas, manage your rights and find the best route to innovation-led impact. We'll help you understand intellectual property, patenting and make sure you protect your work before making it public.

Explore the key sections in protecting and managing your idea and, when you're ready, get in touch.

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Your idea as intellectual property

Get to know the basics of intellectual property (IP) – what it is, why it matters and how different forms of protection like patents and copyright work.

What is IP?

Who owns the IP?

IP ownership depends on how your research is funded and who contributed to it. Learn how ownership is determined and what it means for you, whether you’re a member of staff, a student or part of a collaborative project.

Check who owns what at Oxford

Protect first, then publish

Publishing is essential to academic life, but timing matters. Before you publish, talk to us in case you can patent your idea first – we can help you choose a safe and timely route forward.

Find out how

Licensing your IP

Licensing can help your idea reach more people for a broader impact. Discover more about the different licensing options and ways you can protect your interests while taking your work to the next level.

Learn more about licensing

Clinical outcomes

Clinical Outcome Assessments (COAs) help measure meaningful outcomes in healthcare and are an important form of intellectual property. Explore the different ways we can help with their development and deployment.

See how we support COAs