I appreciate you taking the time to write that out. It's helpful information and very clearly put. Great food for thought. Thank you.

This is all very helpful stuff to think about. Thank you.

This is really valuable information, Thank you.

Talk to a VC as well. Or more than one, and ideally ones that are in the medical device space and have done similar deals with others from your university. If they are interested then they can apply pressure on the university too, to get to a solution that works for everyone.

Very interesting piece of case law, I'm going to look more into that. I appreciate it.

This is all very valid, thank you.

I got my PhD to make a difference. I'm worried that my university, which btw is partnered with one of the largest investment firms in the world, only wants to hoard this idea, and has no genuine desire to foster the technology into the world.

I also got my PhD to lend myself legitimacy, which can then be used to make money, which can then be used to usher in a better future. I've tried the ascetic path, but I felt isolated and like I was shying away from the world.

There is a bit of a chip on my shoulder as well. I think this university is a moral failure, and I feel like they are trying to screw me over every chance they get. The last thing I want to see is my idea being stolen and hoarded by this place. I'd rather die on that hill then just hand it over.

What's the ascetic path? Between being a monk and a multimillionaire by 40, there is quite a spectrum.

I get that being a PhD is quite an investment (having a couple close family members with doctorates). One has made a really good difference, not world-changing but still. They've led quite comfortable lives. Not in a field that would be as lucrative as yours for simple employment.

Get the IP counsel.

I do hope you make more advances that can improve people's well-being.

1. Yeah I figured that out the hard way.

2. Yes they claim 100% of the IP and only offer 40% of the royalties. That I am sure of.

3. Good advise. I'll keep that in mind, thank you.

4. This is helpful information. I hear you saying that if I patent the thing now, I could still make some tweaks and patent something else similar in the future...

Thank you. I've consulted a few IP lawyers and I'll reach out to more. Its a dicey and expensive work to delve into, but I'll give it another shot.

Personally, I think it is ok to ask randos on the internet for legal advise. It's just another data point along the path of trying to figure this thing out. Thanks again.

Regarding "IP lawyers", patent filing and univerity IP licensing are rather different domains of activity. Find relevant laywers.

I can't imagine spending my time trying to bring this to market knowing that I don't own any IP and I have to give away 60% of the royalties to a corrupt and greedy university. I'd rather just give it away for free and see if someone else can do something with it.

Thanks for the reply. I've talked to 3 now. I haven't gotten great advise. That's an expensive route to take as well.

There are good patent attorneys: I used one. (And my brother is one!)

Have you tried (say) Marks & Clerk?

I haven't, I will check them out, thank you. I've only tried ones I found online. I have two friends to just recommended IP lawyers they know personally so I'm reaching out to them now.

I really appreciate the advise. I've considered this too. Am I opening myself up to being sued in the future by the university? I'm worried I'll put in years of effort and eventually the university will just claim they actually own everything.

Around my Uni I have seen people get away with murder when it comes to just about every element of process around money and that if they have a problem then yeah you might have to settle out of court.

A VC told me this about disputes: if your business fails there is nothing to sue over, if it succeeds then you are rich and you can afford to pay…. Look at the movie The Social Network you might be rich and feel angry that you are paying money to people who seem like parasite but you are rich!

Seriously though the model of the TTO is to reject the vast majority of possible inventions, spend $20k on patents with a less than 10% chance of a payout on each one. It's a better business model for them to spend a fraction of that on a lawyer to write you a really scary letter and get a settlement for half of what they think you owe them. They might be happy to get a donation and you get something with your name on it.