Research to Renewal: Advancing University Tech Transfer

The American research university is a unique institution that much of the world has long tried to emulate. Many times under-appreciated in the U.S., research universities are one of the most important knowledge assets of cities and states for economic development purposes. These universities influence the economic prospects of their regions and the nation overall in multiple ways.

In this analysis, we evaluate which universities are most proficient at creating new knowledge; embedding it in their science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates; and transferring both to new and existing enterprises. Research and discovery are fundamental objectives of universities, but they must be absorbed and infused into private industry to yield an economic return on the investment.

That said, ranking overall in second place, the University of Florida is the top public university. It has a huge student body (enrollment upwards of 53,000 in 2020) and research enterprise. Its technology transfer prowess was seeded in the 1960s with its creation of Gatorade.

Learn more about Research to Renewal: Advancing University Tech Transfer