Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
Baylor University
#164 in Universities
164Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
164
204
Rank in
Research Capabilities
134
Rank in
Entrepreneurial Readiness
157
Rank in
Market Translation
Waco, TX
Baylor University ranks 164th among 243 universities in the Cure Innovation Index. Located in Waco, Texas, the university's most competitive domain is Entrepreneurial Readiness, where it ranks near the midpoint of the field, followed by Market Translation. Research Capabilities represent the most significant gap, with the university ranking toward the lower end of the field in that domain. Baylor supports an incubator and accelerator and offers an MD/MBA dual degree, reflecting an orientation toward the translational and commercial dimensions of biomedical research.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
Baylor University 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, Baylor University fared best in Cutting Edge Science.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
Baylor University 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, Baylor University fared best in Ecosystem Support.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
Baylor University 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, Baylor University fared best in TTO Efficiency.
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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.
