Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
Van Andel Research Institute
#53 in Institutes and Centers
53Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
53
40
Rank in
Research Capabilities
46
Rank in
Entrepreneurial Readiness
46
Rank in
Market Translation
Grand Rapids, MI
Van Andel Research Institute ranks 53rd among 60 biomedical institutes in the Cure Innovation Index. Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the institute performs below the median across Research Capabilities, Market Translation, and Entrepreneurial Readiness, with Research Capabilities representing its relative strength within that standing. Faculty members serve as principal investigators on clinical trials, reflecting direct engagement with translational science. Its Entrepreneurial Readiness ranking places it near the lower end of the category, indicating more limited commercialization infrastructure relative to peer institutes.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
Van Andel Research Institute ranked below average for Research Capabilities, a measure of the foundational infrastructure and resources that enable an institution to conduct high-quality, innovative science. Out of the factors in this category, Van Andel Research Institute fared best in Facilities/Equipment.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
Van Andel Research Institute ranked below average for Entrepreneurial Readiness, a measure of whether the institution has built a supportive ecosystem for entrepreneurship and whether faculty are engaged in and incentivized toward commercial activity. Out of the factors in this category, Van Andel Research Institute fared best in Ecosystem Support.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
Van Andel Research Institute ranked below average for Market Translation, a measure of how effectively a research institution moves scientific discovery out of the lab and into real-world clinical and commercial applications. Out of the factors in this category, Van Andel Research Institute fared best in Industry Connections.
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Cure Innovation Index Methodology
From a pool of more than 6,000 institutions, the top 303 were ranked using two dozen indicators — from scientific foundation and lab infrastructure to patents, products, and partnerships — drawn from more than a dozen federal and commercial databases, an original audit of all institutions, and surveys of more than 3,300+ scientists, industry leaders, and biomedical experts.
Insights From the Cure Innovation Index
Explore by Category
Innovation isn't a single moment — it's an entire ecosystem. The Index evaluates institutions across two dozen indicators, grouped in three core domains that reveal the full picture of what it takes to turn groundbreaking science into real-world impact.
