In the United States and most countries worldwide, only a person (or group of people) can be listed as the inventor/s of a patent; a business cannot be listed as the inventor. However, a business can be assigned the ownership of the patent by a person (or group of people).
The significance of proper patent assignment execution cannot be emphasized enough.

Generally, inventors assign their rights to the company they work for, as most countries’ patent law prescribes.

There is a danger when investors or companies hurry to file patent applications without properly considering the importance of correct assignment execution. This, coupled with the fact that some patent firms neglect to explain the complexities of joint patent filings without proper assignment, can lead to invalid assignments and future legal problems where companies may not be authorized to license or enforce their patent.

Early assignment of patent rights is a must for protecting all parties involved. Before any changes in employment or conflicts arise, it’s crucial to make sure the rights are assigned properly. This is especially important in academic settings, where co-inventors may work for different institutions. Double-checking the employment status of all co-inventors is an important step in this process.

The WIPA team can help you ensure that your patents and applications are properly executed at each stage of their lives for a smooth ownership transition.