Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
Lehigh University
#203 in Universities
203Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
203
214
Rank in
Research Capabilities
197
Rank in
Entrepreneurial Readiness
145
Rank in
Market Translation
Bethlehem, PA
Lehigh University ranks 203rd among the 243 universities in the Cure Innovation Index and is based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Research capabilities place it in the lower tier of the ranking, but its market translation standing is considerably stronger, reflecting Lehigh's emphasis on engineering and applied disciplines. Entrepreneurial readiness falls below the midpoint. The university operates an incubator and accelerator, offering infrastructure for moving research toward commercial application. Across all three domains, market translation is the area where Lehigh's profile is most developed.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
Lehigh 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, Lehigh University fared best in Cutting Edge Science.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
Lehigh 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, Lehigh University fared best in Ecosystem Support.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
Lehigh 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, Lehigh University fared best in Industry Reputation.
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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.
