Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
University of South Dakota
#188 in Universities
188Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
188
221
Rank in
Research Capabilities
128
Rank in
Entrepreneurial Readiness
211
Rank in
Market Translation
Vermillion, SD
The University of South Dakota ranks 188th among 243 universities in the Cure Innovation Index. The Vermillion institution's research capabilities and market translation standings fall in the lower tier of the field, reflecting the profile of a regional university. Entrepreneurial readiness is a comparative strength; the university places near the middle of the rankings on that domain and operates an incubator and accelerator alongside biomedical entrepreneurship training, giving it commercial infrastructure that outpaces its overall research standing.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
University of South Dakota 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, University of South Dakota fared best in Funding Support.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
University of South Dakota 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 South Dakota fared best in Ecosystem Support.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
University of South Dakota 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, University of South Dakota 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.
