Washington D.C.—Partnerships between US research institutions and technology companies led to 850 new commercial products becoming available to the public in 2022, a 7% increase from 2021, according to AUTM’s Annual Licensing Activity Survey, which polls technology transfer offices at US universities, hospitals and other research institutions. The research funding that fuels those innovations also grew in 2022, with nearly $91 billion—a record amount—reported by Survey respondents.  

It was also a good year for startup companies formed specifically to commercialize technologies developed at universities and research institutions, which contribute to local and regional economies. The Survey found that the cumulative number of startups that remained operational at the end of 2022 grew to 6,800—8% higher than at the end of 2021.

Every year, universities and research institutions across the United States develop inventions – more than 544,000 in the last 31 years – from artificial intelligence advancements to life-saving treatments. Those innovations are licensed to industry on their journey to the market for the benefit of society.

“Three decades of data show 73 percent of university tech licenses going to startups and small companies—collaborations that have a critical impact on our regional economies,” said AUTM CEO Stephen J. Susalka. “The products and services we use every day from universities and other non-profit institutions not only create a bustling economy, but also change the world.”

The 2020 report is based on data gathered from 197 research institutions. With three decades of collected metrics, the Survey provides the definitive benchmark for measuring the impact of academic research innovation.

The key findings of the 2022 Survey show:

  • Technologies developed by universities and research institutions were responsible for 850 new commercial products that became available to the public in 2022, an increase of nearly 7% from 2021.
  • Total research expenditures in 2022 topped $91 billion—the highest total reported in the Survey’s history and a 9.5% increase from 2021.
  • The number of startup companies created to commercialize technologies developed at universities and other research institutions was 8% higher in 2022 than in 2021.
  • Patent licenses accounted for only 51% of the total number of licenses reported in the survey, which for the first time asked respondents to report licenses by subcategory. Copyright licenses accounted for 38%, indicating the growing importance of this sector.

The momentum gained in 2022—which also included a 6% uptick in office staff numbers—put academic technology transfer offices in better position to take advantage of the additional federal research funding authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act at the end of 2022. Appropriations of those funds began earlier this year through initiatives like the National Science Foundation’s Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program.

It was the passage, in 1980, of the Bayh-Dole Act that unlocked taxpayer-funded discoveries made in universities, hospitals and other research institutions and unleashed impactful innovation across the US. The share of research funding from federal dollars has fallen to 58% of the total, down from more than 70% when the AUTM Survey was first published in 1991.

With its passage in 1980, the Bayh-Dole Act became a catalyst for this innovation. The historic legislation unlocked taxpayer-funded discoveries made in universities, hospitals and other research institutions. However, the share of research funding from federal dollars has fallen to 58%, from more than 70% when the survey was first published in 1991.

About the Survey

To find metrics for specific institutions and read additional analysis of this year’s findings, visit the AUTM website. Also available is AUTM’s technology transfer infographic on driving the innovation economy. If you’d like to go beyond the data provided in the Survey, consider AUTM’s STATT Database and its 30+ years of Licensing Survey results.

About AUTM

AUTM is the nonprofit leader in efforts to educate, promote and inspire professionals to support the development of academic research that changes the world and drives innovation forward. Our community comprises more than 3,000 members who work in more than 800 universities, research centers, hospitals, businesses and government organizations around the globe. To learn more about AUTM, visit www.autm.net.

Media Contact

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