Technology Commercialization Statistics
Technology Commercialization Statistics
As a leading American research university, the University of Minnesota advances new knowledge across a wide range of fields, yielding new solutions and technologies that can then be commercialized to benefit the public, foster economic growth, and generate revenue to further support the University’s mission.
Startup Companies
The University of Minnesota launched a record-breaking 27 startups in fiscal year (FY) 2026 and achieved a major historic benchmark by surpassing 300 startup companies spun out since 2006. Fueled by a remarkable surge of more than 150 spin-offs created since 2020 alone, UMN now ranks second among all U.S. public universities for startup creation.
These ventures act as powerful economic engines, having attracted over $3.7 billion in investment capital and generated more than 2,000 jobs. With a 71 percent long term success rate—and 73 percent of these companies choosing to stay in Minnesota these spin-offs showcase the lasting regional value of University of Minnesota innovation.
Ten UMN startups have been acquired or gone public in the past decade, and overall UMN startups have attracted more than $3.7B in IPOs, acquisitions, and funding, according to a 2026 survey.
The University is:
- Launching high quality companies at a higher rate across a diverse mix of industries
- Populating its startup pipeline with more ideas and more potential startup companies than ever before
- Investing additional resources in its venture work
Statistics & Ranking
Our core innovation pipeline remains exceptionally robust, yielding 437 invention disclosures, 259 licensing deals, and 167 issued patents this year. These milestone metrics keep the University firmly ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities for spinning out companies and translating research to the market.
| Statistics, FY20-FY26 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Licenses | 235 |
236 |
211 |
231 |
226 |
248 |
259 |
| Current Revenue Generating Agreements | 601 |
575 |
467 |
448 |
448 |
517 |
562 |
| Startup Companies Formed | 19 |
20 |
22 |
23 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
| Invention Disclosures | 397 |
332 |
315 |
360 |
375 |
450 |
437 |
| New Patent Filings | 152 |
126 |
156 |
146 |
139 |
116 |
111 |
| Issued Patents (US & Foreign) | 182 |
181 |
241 |
234 |
188 |
189 |
167 |
The University’s technology transfer work has been recognized for its excellence in national and global rankings:
- UMN is in the top 20 public universities for five key tech transfer metrics: startups (2nd), license deals (5th), and invention disclosures (6th) (AUTM 2025).
- 1 of only 4 institutions nationwide (public or private) to have launched 20+ startups every year for the past 5 years
New Strategic Initiatives
This year, Tech Comm also introduced two new strategic initiatives to target distinct commercial pathways:
- Superior Fruit Innovations (SFI): A novel, grower-focused licensing model allowing direct-market farmers to license premium UMN fruit varieties directly.
- Software Startup Development (SSD) Program: A competitive, two-phase funding program designed to guide software innovations from an early-stage concept to a formal company launch.
Annual Research Reports
See our 2026 Annual Report on Technology Commercialization (print version).
Learn more about the University's research enterprise.