The free and unfettered dissemination of information, knowledge, and discoveries generated by researchers is an essential element of the university's mission. The guidance for researchers to disclose discoveries to the OTL before public dissemination aligns with the goal of ensuring that impactful innovations can benefit society fully.
Invention disclosures allow the OTL to assess the commercial potential of your invention, protect intellectual property (IP) rights, and possibly move toward licensing or commercialization. Publicly revealing information about an invention before submitting an invention disclosure can have consequences for patent protection and commercialization opportunities, making the invention ineligible for patent protection, which can reduce its commercial value. Without patent protection, potential investors or companies are less likely to pursue a product that can't be protected from competitors.
If you disclose your invention without filing an invention disclosure, you risk losing control over how it is used. Others could potentially use your ideas without compensating you or the university.