Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
University of California, Los Angeles
#21 in Universities
21Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
21
18
Rank in
Research Capabilities
25
Rank in
Entrepreneurial Readiness
51
Rank in
Market Translation
Los Angeles, CA
The University of California, Los Angeles ranks 21st among universities in the Cure Innovation Index. Located in Los Angeles, California, UCLA performs at a high level in Research Capabilities and Entrepreneurial Readiness, with Market Translation also in the upper tier. The university supports an MSTP program, an MD/MBA dual degree, biomedical entrepreneurship training, an incubator and accelerator, and an entrepreneur-in-residence program. Faculty participate in clinical trials as principal investigators, connecting laboratory discovery with patient-centered work at one of the largest academic medical centers in the U.S.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
University of California, Los Angeles 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, Los Angeles fared best in Funding Support.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
University of California, Los Angeles 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, Los Angeles fared best in Ecosystem Support.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
University of California, Los Angeles 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, Los Angeles fared best in Industry Connections.
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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.
