Intellectual Property Rights
Source: https://www.tue.nl/en/impact/intellectual-property-rights Parent: https://www.tue.nl/en/education/bachelor-college
About Intellectual Property (IP)
Intellectual Property (IP) protection (if appropriate, necessary, or warranted)
When we refer to IP protection, we are usually talking about the process in which protection for a product of creative endeavor is pursued, for example, to encourage third party interest in commercialization. Patent protection, a common legal protection method for technological inventions, begins with the filing of a patent application. Once a patent application has been filed, it may require several years and tens of thousands of euro’s to obtain an issued patent. Other commonly used forms of IP protection include trade secrets, industrial designs, copyrights, and trademarks.
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IP for TUE staff
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IP for TUE Students
Principles for spin-offs (deal terms)
Deal terms - When it comes to the transfer of intellectual property to spin-offs
Universities of The Netherlands (UNL) has presented transparent principles for university spin-offs, known as the “deal terms”, which regulate how to handle intellectual property and universities’ share ownership in spin-offs involving researchers who terminate their employment. Originally introduced on 16 February 2023, the deal terms have been updated in 2025 to reflect current practices and insights gained from their initial implementation.
The deal terms are intended to speed up the negotiation process between universities and young companies, and thus to increase the chance of growth and success. The deal terms set out the fees and agreements around intellectual property rights. They are envisaged for situations in which a researcher terminates their employment and wants to start up a company on the basis of intellectual property deriving from the university’s activities. In accordance with the principles of the deal terms, these terms must be simple, fair and transparent.
The use of deal terms will be monitored and evaluated periodically by the Knowledge Transfer Offices / Technology Transfer Offices (KTOs/TTOs) of the knowledge institutions in the Netherlands. Read more about the KTO of TU/e.
Invention Disclosure Form
Starting the process
The Knowledge Transfer Office (KTO) begins the formal knowledge valorization process on basis of the Invention Disclosure Form (IDF). This is a confidential document, and should fully describe the new aspects of your invention, including its advantages and benefits. Once the KTO has received your IDF, you should expect to hear from an IP Advisor or Business Developer within 2 weeks. You can download the IDF below and send your IDF to ip-kto@remove-this.tue.nl.
We encourage you to contact the KTO already during your discovery process to ensure you are aware of the options that will best leverage the valorization potential of your research. The KTO staff members can help you with questions related to marketability, funding sources, commercial partners, patenting and other protection methods, new business spin-off considerations, TU/e policies and procedures, and much more.
OUR TEAM OF EXPERTS
Our IP Managers Natasa Marsic and Suki Sandhu and IP Paralegal Helin Arsoy Sahin are ready to assist you with any IP-related questions. By contacting them, you will benefit from their broad-based experience with creation, management and enforcement of intellectual property rights. The team is happy to advise you on the best intellectual property strategy for the product of your efforts.
Questions? You can directly contact them via IP-kto@tue.nl.
[### Natasa Marsic
Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering & Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Eindhoven Artificial Intelligence Systems Institute (EAISI), Eindhoven Institute for Renewable Energy Systems & Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS).](# "Question for Natasa Marsic")[### Suki Sandhu
Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, Built Environment, Mathematics and Computer Science, Industrial Engineering & Innovation Science, Industrial Design and Casimir Institute.](# "Question for Suki Sandhu")[### Helin Arsoy Sahin
IP Paralegal](# "Question for Helin")
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Downloads
- [### [doc] TU/e Invention Disclosure Form
78 KB](https://assets.w3.tue.nl/w/fileadmin/KTO/TUe%20Invention%20Disclosure%20Form-2026.doc) - [### [pdf] FAQ Intellectual Property Rights by UNL
119 KB](https://assets.w3.tue.nl/w/fileadmin/content/Impact/The%20Gate/FAQ%20Intellectual%20property%20rights%20guideline.pdf) - [### [pdf] TU/e Waiver Statement
119 KB](https://assets.w3.tue.nl/w/fileadmin/content/Impact/The%20Gate/TUE%20Waiver%20Statement.pdf) - [### [pdf] TU/e policy on student Intellectual Property
288 KB](https://assets.w3.tue.nl/w/fileadmin/KTO/20240118%20TUe%20Policy%20on%20Student%20IP.pdf) - [### [pdf] TU/e patents and inventions regulations 2025
293 KB](https://assets.w3.tue.nl/w/fileadmin/KTO/20250207%20TUe%20Patents%20and%20Inventions%20Regulations.pdf) - [### [pdf] TU/e policy on Intellectual Property by TU/e staff members
323 KB](https://assets.w3.tue.nl/w/fileadmin/KTO/20251023%20TUe%20Policy%20on%20Intellectual%20Property%20created%20by%20TUe%20Staff%20Members.pdf) - [### [pdf] TU/e Knowledge Valorization
479 KB](https://assets.w3.tue.nl/w/fileadmin/KTO/20221005%20Knowledge%20Valorization%20updated.pdf) - [### [pdf] Explaining the spin-off process
1 MB](https://assets.w3.tue.nl/w/fileadmin/KTO/20250717_Final%20explaining%20the%20process.pdf) - [### [pdf] National deal terms
2 MB](https://assets.w3.tue.nl/w/fileadmin/KTO/20250722_Final%20National%20deal%20terms.pdf)
Contact about IP
Knowledge Transfer Office
Alpha Building Second floor
Eeuwsel 57
Eindhoven
Netherlands