Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
Colorado State University, Fort Collins
#141 in Universities
141Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
141
192
Rank in
Research Capabilities
108
Rank in
Entrepreneurial Readiness
143
Rank in
Market Translation
Fort Collins, CO
Colorado State University ranks 141st among 243 universities in the Cure Innovation Index. Located in Fort Collins, Colorado, the university demonstrates its strongest performance in entrepreneurial readiness, placing in the upper half of ranked universities, with market translation close behind. Research capabilities are a developing area relative to peer institutions, and the university's overall profile leans toward translational work. Colorado State hosts an MD-PhD program alongside an incubator, accelerator, and entrepreneur-in-residence program, reflecting an orientation toward applied science and commercialization.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
Colorado State University, Fort Collins 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, Colorado State University, Fort Collins fared best in Cutting Edge Science.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
Colorado State University, Fort Collins 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, Colorado State University, Fort Collins fared best in Faculty Engagement.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
Colorado State University, Fort Collins 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, Colorado State University, Fort Collins fared best in Industry Reputation.
Learn More
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.
