Make It Matter 102
Protecting Your Invention
At Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht, researchers are making discoveries with the power to change the world. Our role? To help protect those discoveries — and ensure they have lasting impact.
Why Patents Matter
A patent gives you and the university the exclusive right to your invention for up to 20 years. It safeguards your idea, creates opportunities for collaboration, and paves the way for licensing, partnerships, or even your own spin-off company.
Patenting isn’t just a legal step — it’s how we make sure your innovation can reach society.
What Makes an Invention Patentable
- Novelty – The invention hasn’t been published or shared before, by anyone.
- Inventiveness – It’s not an obvious improvement to experts in the field.
- Feasibility – There’s data or evidence showing it can work.
Timing is essential: once your work is published or presented, it may lose patentability. That’s why we encourage you to contact us early — as soon as you think you’ve made an invention.
How We Support You
We help you:
- Evaluate whether your invention qualifies for a patent.
- File the patent application together with expert patent attorneys.
- Shape a strategy for commercialization, licensing, or startup creation.
Have you made a discovery that could change lives? Reach out to the Utrecht Holdings team — we’ll help you protect your invention and make it matter.