Who owns an idea? Inventors, institutions and employers

Three questions decide ownership:

1. Who invented? Whoever contributed to the inventive concept — not who funded it, typed it or supervised administratively. Inventorship cannot be gifted; it is a question of fact.
2. Who owns? By default the inventor; but an employment contract, institutional IP policy, scholarship, grant or project agreement may assign ownership to the institution, employer or sponsor. Students should read their college policy; faculty their service rules; founders their earlier employment contracts.
3. What did you agree? Co-inventors should agree in writing on shares and decision-making before filing.

Confidentiality: anything told to an outside party without an NDA may be treated as public. Use the community's NDA route before sharing details with partners, and keep sensitive technical material out of public posts.

Record contributors in your submission honestly — it protects you later.