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ARTICLE · 09 MAY 2024

Innovations At Work: Who Really Owns Employee-Created Inventions?

Brooks Kushman P.C.
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Let's say your employee, using company resources, develops a software algorithm that could revolutionize your product line.

United StatesIntellectual Property
Benjamin Stasa
Benjamin Stasa
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Innovations at Work: Who Really Owns Employee-Created Inventions?

Let's say your employee, using company resources, develops a software algorithm that could revolutionize your product line. That's great news, right? But before you issue a press release and pop the champagne corks, you must consider a critical question: Who owns this invention?

This question of who owns the IP—the company or its employee—is a common one, and sometimes a difficult one to answer. That's why it's essential for companies to take proactive steps to avoid scenarios in which IP rights can be disputed. The stakes are high: get it right, and you foster a culture of innovation while safeguarding your company's intellectual assets; get it wrong, and you risk losing valuable IP or facing legal disputes.

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