About Us

Innovation Partnerships is the nexus of research commercialization at the University of Michigan by working with U-M researchers and faculty to advance their innovations and bring them to market. Our office plays a critical role in translating discoveries from U-M faculty and researchers into real-world solutions by supporting patent protection, commercialization, startup company formation and growth. Through strategic connections with industry, entrepreneurs and investors, Innovation Partnerships ensures that U-M innovations from researchers and faculty at all schools and colleges across the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses reach society, address critical needs, spur technology-driven economic growth and create lasting, positive societal impact.

Comprising three areas of service, Innovation Partnerships is a partner for U-M faculty and researchers wanting to see their discoveries enter the world. Our Corporate Research Alliances team provides faculty-facing support to convert industry relationships into successful sponsored research collaborations. The Licensing team brings business, scientific and legal expertise to amplify the impact of U-M research. The Ventures team supports the launch of startups based on U-M technologies and research discoveries by providing a full suite of resources, including business mentorship, translational research funding and venture capital connections. 

We are committed to being the most startup-friendly technology commercialization office in the country. According to the 2023 AUTM annual licensing survey, Innovation Partnerships was #2 in the nation for inventions received and startup companies launched. Our goal is to minimize the friction for entrepreneurs to launch and grow startups resulting from U-M research activity. To further support the growing portfolio of U-M startup companies, Innovation Partnerships created the Accelerate Blue Fund—an evergreen venture fund designed to bridge the gap between initial startup launch and securing angel or venture capital funding.

In partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Innovation Partnerships also supports the development of a strong university research commercialization ecosystem across the state of Michigan. This includes collaborating with university technology transfer offices on the MTRAC programs and the Technology Transfer Talent Network (T3N). In 2024, Innovation Partnerships launched the Michigan University Innovation Capital Fund in collaboration with universities across the state to provide early-stage capital to startups licensing technology from any public research university in the state of Michigan.

As one of the world’s foremost universities for groundbreaking research, U-M is poised to address the world’s great challenges and drive economic growth through transformative innovation. Innovation Partnerships is a unit of the Office of the Vice President for Research and we are inspired to redefine how world class university research can fuel a region and solve the world’s greatest challenges.