Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
Iowa State University
#114 in Universities
114Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
114
155
Rank in
Research Capabilities
107
Rank in
Entrepreneurial Readiness
88
Rank in
Market Translation
Ames, IA
Iowa State University ranks 114th among universities in the Cure Innovation Index and is located in Ames, Iowa. Its profile tilts toward commercialization: market translation is its strongest domain, placing it in the upper half of peer universities, while entrepreneurial readiness also scores above the midpoint. Research capabilities are comparatively more modest. The university supports this orientation through an incubator and accelerator, an entrepreneur-in-residence program, and biomedical entrepreneurship training, all pointing to a sustained commitment to moving science into application.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
Iowa State 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, Iowa State University fared best in Funding Support.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
Iowa State 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, Iowa State University fared best in Faculty Engagement.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
Iowa State 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, Iowa State 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.
