Guidelines and laws

Work-related invention: Inventions created by an ETH Zurich employee while pursuing their professional activities shall be owned by ETH Zurich. Exception: inventions generated within the scope of research collaborations with third parties will be determined by a separate agreement.  

Private invention: Inventions created by an ETH Zurich employee outside professional activities and without using ETH Zurich resources or infrastructure (e.g. working hours, equipment, lab) shall belong to the inventor (private invention) and is not subject to these guidelines. Note: If ETH Zurich’s resources or infrastructure were used, ETH Zurich can claim compensation.  

Student inventions: Inventions that are exclusively created by students who are not employed by ETH Zurich within the scope of their degree (e.g. within their Bachelor’s or Master’s projects) shall belong to the student(s) (private inventions) and are also not subject to these guidelines. Note: If members of ETH Zurich’s staff are also involved in such an student invention (e.g. supervisors of Bachelor’s or Master’s projects), ETH Zurich shall be entitled to joint-ownership of the invention.

• Inventors from ETH Zurich must disclose every invention in accordance with these guidelines to the technology transfer office ETH transfer in writing via an Invention Disclosure
• All inventors involved in generating a work-related invention shall record the percentage distribution of the inventor shares amongst themselves in writing on the Invention Disclosure and send the signed original to ETH transfer.
• ETH transfer shall evaluate the patentability and usability of the invention and shall decide within three months whether ETH Zurich will apply for a patent.
• All patent application based on work-related inventions must be filed in the name of ETH Zurich.
   

Application by ETH transfer: Patent costs shall be covered by ETH transfer only if:

• The invention appears to be patentable and of interest to ETH Zurich based on the information available
• The exploitation strategy has been discussed with ETH transfer in advance and ETH transfer endorses an exploitation
• There is a potential market or an interested party

Application by professor: If ETH transfer decides against an application, the professor(s) involved can submit a patent application at the research group’s expense or the expense of the institute in the name of ETH Zurich. Such a scenario will also be supervised administratively by ETH transfer.

Application by inventor: If ETH transfer and the respective institute or the professor is against filing a patent application, the inventors can request the written transferral of the invention and then file a patent application for the invention privately in their own name and at their own expense and exploit it.