Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
University of California, Berkeley
#36 in Universities
36Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
36
60
Rank in
Research Capabilities
36
Rank in
Entrepreneurial Readiness
22
Rank in
Market Translation
Berkeley, CA
University of California, Berkeley ranks 36th among universities in the Cure Innovation Index. Located in Berkeley, California, the university ranks 22nd in Market Translation and 36th in Entrepreneurial Readiness, while Research Capabilities rank 60th. The profile tilts toward translation and commercial application over basic discovery. Berkeley holds a Clinical and Translational Science Award, supports biomedical entrepreneurship training and an incubator, and offers an MSTP program alongside an MD/MBA dual degree. Together, these programs mark Berkeley as one of the more market-facing universities among ranked biomedical research institutions.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
University of California, Berkeley 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, University of California, Berkeley fared best in Cutting Edge Science.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
University of California, Berkeley 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, University of California, Berkeley fared best in Ecosystem Support.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
University of California, Berkeley 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, University of California, Berkeley fared best in Health Impact.
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.
