The author presents an investigation of patent-application filings made without external financial support, or "at-risk", based on inventions disclosed to the University of California from fiscal years 1991 to 2000. The success of the at-risk patent applications filed on these invention disclosures is examined from the perspective of agreements executed and income generated. He then puts forward recommendations for improving the overall process of at-risk patent-application filings. (Contains 13 notes and 4 figures.)