Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
Portland State University
#227 in Universities
227Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
227
225
Rank in
Research Capabilities
220
Rank in
Entrepreneurial Readiness
216
Rank in
Market Translation
Portland, OR
Portland State University ranks 227th among universities in the Cure Innovation Index and is based in Portland, Oregon. Across Research Capabilities, Market Translation, and Entrepreneurial Readiness, the university performs in the lower tier of the index; Market Translation is where it shows the most relative strength. The university operates an incubator and accelerator program alongside its biomedical research activity. Portland State is widely recognized for its civic mission, and its index profile reflects an orientation toward applied work, consistent with that character.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
Portland 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, Portland State University fared best in Funding Support.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
Portland 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, Portland State University fared best in Ecosystem Support.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
Portland 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, Portland State University 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.
