The University of Utah has finished in the top 25 in a ranking of 228 universities for their commercialization results.
The Association of University Technology Managers' survey put the U. at No. 19 in its ranking of commercialization revenue, ahead of even Johns Hopkins and the California Institute of Technology. It was the only Utah university in the top 100.
The U.'s more than $16.1 million in licensing revenues in 2005 put it among select company — only 25 participating institutions earned more than $10 million that year.
The U. was 55th in research dollars rankings and 32nd among public institutions for the same measure.
"To rank No. 19 overall in commercialization revenue is extraordinary given the research funding ranking, and to rank near the top in company formation shows the Legislature's confidence as expressed by the USTAR (Utah Science, Technology and Research) initiative is well-founded," said Jack Brittain, dean of the U.'s David Eccles School of Business and vice president for the Office of Technology Venture Development.
The U. also was tied for 13th in licensing dollars generated per research dollars received and 16th among universities generating more than $15 million in licensing revenue.
"Licensing revenues earned by the University of Utah support further research and a variety of commercialization support programs, including the university's Technology Commercialization Grants Program, our seed research grants program, and provide matching funding required by various federal grants," Brittain said.
Brian Cummings, director of the University of Utah Technology Commercialization Office, said the U. was eighth-best among those in the survey for the number of companies formed.
"The U.S. average number of companies formed in the U.S. was four in 2005, and in 2006 the U. generated 20 companies," he said.
Survey details are available online at www.autm.net/surveys/dsp.Detail.cfm?pid=191. More information about the Office of Technology Venture Development or the Office of Technology Commercialization is available at www.techventures.utah.edu and www.tco.utah.edu.