Columbia University and Science and Technology Ventures (STV) policies regarding intellectual property (IP) are intended to support the faculty members, the researchers, graduate and other students, and workers at Columbia who create inventions and make discoveries.

For inventions that result from federally funded grants and contracts, the law requires the University to notify the government of the invention, provide the government a royalty-free license to use it, and submit periodic reports on the University's efforts to commercialize it.

• STV Distribution Policies
• Ownership Rights
• Equity Issues
• Consulting Restrictions

STV Distribution Policies

Columbia shares with faculty the licensing and royalty fees companies pay to use faculty inventions. These fees are paid to faculty even if they leave Columbia.

STV administers licensing and industrial research agreements. When revenues are received from the licensing of your invention, they are distributed as follows:

Of the first $100,000 of net income from licensing your invention, you receive 50% and an additional 25% goes to your research activities. Net income is determined by deducting a flat 20% of gross income to cover the University's expenses, including patent prosecution expenses. When revenues reach more than $100,000, you receive 25% of net income and you can continue to direct an additional 25% toward your research activities. Additionally, smaller shares go to your department and faculty.

Because of the additional development work often required when software is licensed, a modified distribution formula that provides funds to cover the additional work is also available. Contact STV at stvhelp@columbia.edu for further details.

Ownership Rights

Columbia University has the right to claim ownership of an invention developed in University laboratories and funded by federal, foundation, University, or corporate funds. Columbia shares the tangible benefits of an invention with the inventors.

Any researcher encountering a special situation in funding for an invention should contact STV at stvhelp@columbia.edu.

Equity Issues

The ownership of stock or equity shares by faculty, staff, and students is an issue that has many possible conflicts of interest. A full discussion of these conflict-of-interest issues is addressed in Appendix K of the Columbia Faculty Handbook.

Below is an excerpt from Appendix K of the Faculty Handbook:

Participation of the University and its investigators in commercial organizations. The University, or an investigator, may of course invest in or own stock or other equity in a commercial enterprise. However, if an investigator holds a controlling interest, participates in the management or the conduct of affairs of the commercial organization, except for personal corporations or their equivalents, or if the work of the University and its investigators is being funded by the organization, conflicts of interest are likely to exist, and the question should be referred to the Policy Committee.

Investigators may own a controlling interest in a commercial enterprise, and may participate in its management or conduct of affairs, as long as such participation does not interfere with their ability to fulfill their University commitments, and as long as the activity of the commercial organization is not closely related to the area of the investigator's University research. If there is a close relation between these two, the question should be referred to the Policy Committee. The University does not participate in the management or conduct of affairs of a commercial organization.

An investigator may own significant stock or equity in a commercial enterprise, but a conflict of interest may exist if the investigator's University research is closely related to the activity of the enterprise, except for personal corporations or their equivalents, especially when the investigator participates in management, in which case the question should be referred to the Policy Committee.

Consulting Restrictions

Restrictions on consulting and other outside employment opportunities for faculty, students, staff, and others at Columbia University are subject to University policy. Specific guidelines concerning consulting restrictions are discussed in detail in the Outside Interests and Employment section of the University's Faculty Handbook.