Page 21 - 2020 Startup Guide

FAU Policies, Conflict of Interest, and Conflict of Commitment
1. Intellectual Property Policy
For new companies started by FAU faculty, staff, or students based on innovations created at FAU, ownership of the underlying intellectual property rights typically belongs to the university. This ownership policy applies to all types of intellectual property, including patents, copyrights, and trademarks. FAU’s Intellectual Property Policy is available for review on the OTD website.
2. Conflict of Interest
OTD works with FAU employees both to facilitate technology transfer and to manage the licensing process. In the case of FAU-affiliated start- ups, this process often raises issues regarding conflicts of interest. A conflict of interest depends on the situation and not on the character or actions of the individual. The university is concerned with whether or not an individual can separate university research from company research, provide unbiased and appropriate guidance and support to students, maintain academic integrity in research and education, and adhere to government mandated policies. A full explanation of FAU’s policies
and procedures for managing conflicts of interest can be found on the Department of Human Resources website.
21