Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
University of California, Davis
#56 in Universities
56Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
56
57
Rank in
Research Capabilities
28
Rank in
Entrepreneurial Readiness
99
Rank in
Market Translation
Davis, CA
Located in Davis, California, the University of California, Davis ranks 56th among universities in the Cure Innovation Index. The university performs well in research capabilities and places 28th in entrepreneurial readiness, one of the stronger placements in that domain across the field. Market translation sits closer to the field average. UC Davis offers a Medical Scientist Training Program, biomedical entrepreneurship training, an MD/MBA dual degree, an incubator and accelerator, and an entrepreneur-in-residence program, giving it one of the more developed entrepreneurial infrastructure profiles among ranked universities.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
University of California, Davis 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, Davis fared best in Funding Support.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
University of California, Davis 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, University of California, Davis fared best in Ecosystem Support.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
University of California, Davis 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, Davis 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.
