Confidentiality Agreements

Unless you do so confidentially, telling another party the details of your research may cost you patent rights. Such "public disclosure" can occur quite inadvertently when company executives or other researchers visit your lab or meet with you at conferences or other venues.

A Confidential Disclosure Agreement is used when you show an unpatented idea to another party, and want that party to maintain as confidential any information he learns about the product as a result meeting with you. The other party signs the agreement, promising not to disclose any of the information to anyone else nor to market the idea or compete with you. Please contact OTD if you need to arrange a Confidential Disclosure Agreement.

View UNL OTD's Standard Confidential Disclosure Agreement

If you receive a company's Confidential Disclosure Agreement for signature, bring it to OTD, so we can compare its provisions with the terms of UNL's standard agreement. OTD will be particularly watchful for any terms that are substantially different or more restrictive and that could impact your stake in any intellectual property related to the agreement. Remember, it’s OTD’s job to help ensure that your intellectual property rights, as well as those of the University, are protected in these situations, so you can continue to effectively do related research and the University has the opportunity to commercialize related inventions.