Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
Michigan State University
#89 in Universities
89Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
89
98
Rank in
Research Capabilities
64
Rank in
Entrepreneurial Readiness
128
Rank in
Market Translation
East Lansing, MI
Michigan State University, a land-grant university based in East Lansing, Michigan, ranks 89th among universities in the Cure Innovation Index. Research capabilities place it in the upper half of the field; market translation performance falls near the midpoint. The university's clearest strength is entrepreneurial readiness, where it ranks 64th. That standing reflects an incubator and accelerator, an entrepreneur-in-residence program, and an MD/MBA dual degree offered alongside its MSTP program. Faculty-led clinical trials add applied depth to a profile where commercialization infrastructure outpaces translation outputs.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
Michigan 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, Michigan State University fared best in Facilities/Equipment.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
Michigan State 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, Michigan State University fared best in Ecosystem Support.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
Michigan State 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, Michigan 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.
