The University of Utah has secured top rankings in several key research commercialization measures, according to the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) 2025 Annual Survey. The university's performance is notable for achieving results comparable to larger research institutions while operating with a research expenditure base valued at $817 million in 2025.
According to AUTM data, the university placed among the nation's leading institutions in five specific measures for 2025. These include ranking third in new licensed technologies with 33 instances, fourth in copyright licenses with 141, and fifth in both invention disclosures with 531 and licenses executed with 273.
The university also ranked ninth in gross license income, reporting $55.3 million in revenue from licensing activity, including royalties and equity-related returns. In terms of invention disclosures, the university's 531 filings followed closely behind the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which reported 684 disclosures on a research footprint worth $2.4 billion.
Jason Young, senior director of commercialization, stated that these benchmarks reflect the strength of the University of Utah's innovation ecosystem and the partners who help move discoveries toward real-world impact.
The university's recent momentum includes being named among the top 100 universities globally for U.S. utility patents and ranking number one for producing unicorn founders. In 2025, the university launched six new startup companies aimed at commercializing campus technologies. Recent examples include Geothermal Strategy Partners for clean energy, CoAptix S system for bone healing, EnduraCure for reducing electronic waste, Grid Elevated’s IntelliCharge platform for EV charging, and CaLycia Bioscience for treating brain cancer.
The survey results suggest growing opportunities for faculty and researchers to translate discoveries into practical applications. For the state of Utah, these findings demonstrate the university's expanding role in building the local innovation economy through increased capacity for economic growth and public benefit.
