Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
University of Tennessee Knoxville
#154 in Universities
154Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
154
194
Rank in
Research Capabilities
148
Rank in
Entrepreneurial Readiness
115
Rank in
Market Translation
Knoxville, TN
The University of Tennessee Knoxville, located in Knoxville, Tennessee, ranks 154th among universities in the Cure Innovation Index. The university performs most strongly in market translation, placing above the field's midpoint in that domain, while research capabilities fall in the lower tier. Entrepreneurial readiness sits near the middle of the field. The university offers a dual MD/MBA program and operates an incubator and accelerator. As Tennessee's flagship university, it brings a wide institutional base to biomedical research across the state.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
University of Tennessee Knoxville 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 Tennessee Knoxville fared best in Facilities/Equipment.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
University of Tennessee Knoxville 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 Tennessee Knoxville fared best in Ecosystem Support.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
University of Tennessee Knoxville 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 Tennessee Knoxville fared best in Experienced TTO.
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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.
