Industrial Agreements

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Università della Svizzera italiana (USI/university) collaborates with private companies in various forms, distinguishing among four main types of collaborations and related agreements

 

  • Sponsored Research

Scientific research project carried out by USI with budget and timelines. Company covers for the project cost in exchange for access to results and a time limited option to negotiate exclusivity.

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR): USI remains the owner of the newly developed intellectual property rights. Company can exploit IPR developed by USI in its commercial field. Company has a cost-bearing, time limited option to negotiate an exclusive license on the IPR and to file patent applications in its commercial field.

Publication: Freedom of research and publication must not be impaired, right to publish with limited delay to protect IPR.

Budget: all direct cost + overhead.
 

  • Contract Research

Scientific research project carried out by USI with budget and timelines. USI executes the project according to the specification given by the Company. In contrast to Sponsored Research exclusivity and possible inventions generated within the project belong to the Company in exchange for higher costs.

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR): company can exclusively exploit IPR developed by USI for commercial purposes in its field. Company has the right to file patent applications in its own name and its own expenses on the IPR.

Publication: Freedom of research and publication must not be impaired. Company has a review right to remove its confidential information and to delay publication to protect IPR.

Budget: all direct cost + overhead + IP surcharge.
 

  • Innosuisse

A collaborative innovation project between USI and an implementation partner (Company), founded by the Swiss Confederation.

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR): on all solely USI and joint developed IPR Company enjoys a free, non-exclusive license in a well-defined Company field of use. Company has the right to file patent applications in its own name and its own expenses on the results solely obtained by USI or obtained jointly and to enjoy exclusivity in the Company field of use, this is subject to an additional adequate compensation (flat remuneration or royalties).

Publication: Freedom of research and publication must not be impaired. Company has a review right to remove its confidential information and to delay publication to protect IPR.

Budget: According to the Innosuisse project, budget is managed by USI.
 

  • Service Agreement

USI provides consulting and service on a case-by-case basis, typically with no research activities involved. Results will be owned by customer in exchange for commercial fees.

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR): customer owns results and related intellectual property resulting from the service. USI remains the owner of methodology developed in carrying out the service.

Publication: USI will not publish the results. Results will become confidential information of the customer.

Budget: service fees charged to customer at hourly rate.

 

Discover our terms and conditions for collaborations