Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
Harvard University
#1 in Universities
01Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
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6
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Research Capabilities
1
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Entrepreneurial Readiness
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Market Translation
Cambridge, MA
Harvard University ranks first among 243 universities in the Cure Innovation Index and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It holds the top position in both Market Translation and Entrepreneurial Readiness, placing sixth in Research Capabilities, with a profile that spans both discovery and translation activities. The university supports a Medical Scientist Training Program, an MD/MBA dual degree, biomedical entrepreneurship training, an incubator and accelerator, an entrepreneur-in-residence program, and a Clinical and Translational Science Award. It is the only university in the index to rank first in both Market Translation and Entrepreneurial Readiness.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
Harvard University ranked above 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, Harvard University fared best in Funding Support.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
Harvard University ranked above 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, Harvard University fared best in Ecosystem Support.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
Harvard University ranked above 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, Harvard University fared best in Health Impact.
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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.
