Technology Commercialization

University of Minnesota Technology Commercialization facilitates the transfer of University technology and ideas to licensee companies--both established and startup--for the development of new products and services that benefit the public good, foster economic growth, and generate revenue to support the University's mission.

The University holds over 1,100 patents and more than 2,800 current licenses for UMN technology in medicine and health, biotechnology, chemistry, engineering, agriculture, and other fields important to society and the economy. Since 2006, the University has spun out more than 200 startup companies. UMN is consistently ranked within the top 15 US public universities by key measures of the AUTM licensing survey.

Tech Comm staff members standing as a group in their work space, smiling for the photo.

What We Do

We advance technology transfer and business partnerships in a variety of ways:

  • Express licenses available online
  • Fast-track opportunity licenses for early-stage technologies
  • Negotiated, exclusive, and nonexclusive license agreements
  • Sponsored research agreements (MN-IP)
  • University startup companies (Venture Center and Discovery Launchpad)

Our staff have significant industry knowledge and experience in:

Annual Reports

Guide to Technology Commercialization

Download a guide to tech transfer at the U.