Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
#91 in Universities
91Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
91
80
Rank in
Research Capabilities
74
Rank in
Entrepreneurial Readiness
171
Rank in
Market Translation
Blacksburg, VA
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ranks 91st among 243 universities in the Cure Innovation Index. Located in Blacksburg, Virginia, the university places in the upper third for both research capabilities, ranking 80th, and entrepreneurial readiness, ranking 74th, while market translation ranks 171st, an area of lower relative strength. Its infrastructure includes an incubator and accelerator, a biomedical entrepreneurship training program, and an entrepreneur-in-residence program. Faculty serve as principal investigators on clinical trials, and an MD/MBA dual degree program connects medicine and management in a way that reflects the university's applied science orientation.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 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, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University fared best in Facilities/Equipment.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 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, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University fared best in Ecosystem Support.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 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, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University fared best in Health Impact.
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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.
