Ann Arbor Times

University of Michigan researchers and faculty set new records in research commercialization during fiscal year 2025, according to recently released data from the university. Invention reports reached 673, surpassing the previous high of 615. The number of license and option agreements signed also increased, with 326 agreements executed—over 50 more than the prior year.

The university launched 31 startup companies based on its research discoveries, marking only the second time in its history that more than 30 startups were created in a single year. These new ventures span sectors including diabetes management, digital security, athletic performance, and early childhood education.

Innovation Partnerships, which coordinates U-M’s research commercialization efforts, shared these figures for the fiscal year ending June 30. The results will be featured at the upcoming Celebrate Invention event scheduled for September 24.

Arthur Lupia, U-M vice president for research and innovation, said: “University of Michigan researchers and faculty are some of the best in the country and are continually developing innovative ways to solve some of today’s greatest problems.”

He added: “The team at Innovation Partnerships is dedicated to helping our researchers leverage their discoveries into products and services that help people outside our campus walls. I’ve seen how the team operates firsthand, constantly evolving to meet the needs of university researchers and working to make a positive difference in people’s lives.”

Industry collaboration was also strong over the past year. The Corporate and Foundation Research Alliances team within Innovation Partnerships supported negotiations for 135 new corporate-sponsored research agreements totaling $32.9 million. This contributed significantly to $170.6 million in new corporate research awards across U-M’s research enterprise.

In May, Innovation Partnerships expanded its Corporate Research Alliances team as part of efforts to boost competitiveness for external funding.

U-M startups collectively raised over $663 million through capital fundraising and liquidity events during fiscal year 2025. This included three initial public offerings (IPOs), with Ascentage Biopharma’s NASDAQ IPO raising more than $126 million.

Venture support was provided by Innovation Partnerships through the Accelerate Blue Fund (AB Fund), an evergreen venture fund managed by the office. During fiscal year 2025, investments were made in nine additional companies, bringing total portfolio holdings to 30 U-M startups. The AB Fund now manages $16.1 million in assets thanks to donor contributions and university support.

Kelly Sexton, associate vice president for research-innovation partnerships and economic impact at U-M stated: “Each invention report we receive and every startup we launch represents a critical step in transforming publicly funded research into real-world impact that improves and even saves lives.”

She continued: “The record-breaking results from FY 2025 are a testament to the exceptional talent of our U-M research community and to the industry partners, investors and entrepreneurs who collaborate with us to turn these innovations into products, services and companies that are shaping a better future for Michigan and beyond.”