NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2026 — With billions of dollars in federal biomedical research support in question, universities should look to build collaborations with industry, which today provides only about 3 to 8 percent of research funding for the 243 universities ranked as the best in the U.S. for translational science by the Cure Innovation Index . A new Cure analysis finds universities engage industry through at least four distinct partnership pathways, and on two of them, lower-ranked universities outperform the top-ranked.
Presented at the University-Industry Demonstration Partnership (UIDP) annual conference, UIDP Denver 2026, the Cure analysis revealed opportunities for institutions of all sizes and rankings. It found that bottom-decile institutions form small-business research partnerships at more than four times the rate of top-decile universities per research dollar, and earn federal entrepreneurship-training awards at more than five times the rate. A university ranked 184th on the Index runs nearly nine in 10 of its clinical trials with an industry partner, about three and a half times the rate of the top-ranked universities decile.
The analysis identified four pathways universities take to industry: scientific collaboration, industry-sponsored clinical research, small-business partnerships, and entrepreneurial training. On the first two, the expected pattern holds and top-ranked universities lead. On the second two, it reverses.
"At a time when universities are looking beyond traditional funding sources, industry partnerships represent a significant opportunity," said Seema Kumar, CEO of Cure, the premier healthcare innovation ecosystem headquartered in New York City. "What surprised us is that there isn't one blueprint for success. Some universities excel in clinical research and scientific collaboration, while others are building powerful commercialization engines through entrepreneurship and small-business partnerships. In some cases, institutions outside the traditional elite may have lessons to teach the rest of the sector."
Why This Matters Now
The FY2027 President’s Budget Request proposed cutting the National Institutes of Health by 12 percent, roughly $5 billion, and reducing the National Science Foundation by more than half, along with a 15 percent cap on NIH indirect cost rates, against the 50 to 60 percent rates most research universities negotiate. Science agencies are operating on a stopgap, with final FY2027 appropriations deferred until after the midterm elections.
Two Pathways Where the Conventional Story Holds
Two Pathways Where Lower-Ranked Universities Lead
Standout Universities Show Different Paths to Biomedical Success
While top-ranked universities often dominate traditional measures of research performance, several mid-ranked and lower-ranked universities emerged as standout performers in specific industry collaboration and commercialization pathways.
University
Index Rank
Industry co-authorship
Industry-sponsored trials
STTR awards per $10M
UC San Diego
7
11.1%
30.2% (543 trials)
0.18
University of Pennsylvania
3
8.8%
23.3% (754 trials)
0.28
University of Connecticut
99
5.6%
24.7% (81 trials)
0.64
University of Georgia
118
5.4%
not assessed*
0.66
UT Health Science Center at Tyler
184
~1.5x its decile average
86.4% (22 trials)
not reported
*Analysis requires 20 trials minimum started from 2024 through 2026.
Implications for Universities and Industry
The findings suggest that pharmaceutical, biotech, and other industry organizations seeking university partners should focus less on institutional reputation alone and more on identifying strengths that match a specific objective.
“A company seeking large-scale clinical research may find its best fit at a university with an affiliated medical center, while one looking for entrepreneurial partnerships may find stronger opportunities at an institution with deep startup and technology-transfer support,” Kumar noted.
For universities, Kumar noted that the analysis offers a similar lesson: there is no single path to successful industry engagement. Institutions can build meaningful partnerships by leaning into their particular strengths rather than trying to replicate a single model.
About the Cure Innovation Index
The Cure Innovation Index, launched in April 2026, evaluates 25 indicators across three core domains: Research Capabilities, Entrepreneurial Readiness, and Market Translation. The Index ranks the top 303 academic institutions, comprised of 243 universities and 60 institutes and centers, from more than 6,000 nationwide. It provides peer-benchmarked comparisons and customized improvement recommendations.
The multi-dimensional methodology of the Index uses validated data integrated from more than a dozen federal and commercial databases. These include the NSF Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey and Dimensions , an inter-linked research information system provided by Digital Science.
About Cure
Cure is the premier healthcare innovation ecosystem that provides knowledge, infrastructure, and tools to accelerate progress toward cures. Headquartered in New York City, Cure convenes all key stakeholders for innovation across its physical and digital community. The campus houses flagship event venues and is home to healthcare organizations from idea stage to public companies. Cure members gain access to premium opportunities and curated connections. In 2026, the Cure Innovation Index was published, providing unmatched visibility into how research institutions translate breakthrough science into real-world health impact. Innovate with Cure at wewillcure.com.
Cure Media Contact: index@cureexperience.com
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Data/statistical analysis