University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota is a public land-grant research university operating five campuses with 150 undergraduate majors and 550+ graduate programs serving 50,000+ students. It funds $1.35B in annual research expenditures, treats 1M+ patients via M Health Fairview, and has spawned 300+ startups since 2006.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1851
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What University of Minnesota does
The University of Minnesota is a public land-grant research university founded in 1851, governed by the Board of Regents, and headquartered in Minneapolis. It is one of only five US universities that combine an engineering school, medical school, law school, veterinary medicine school, and agricultural school on a single campus, and is the state's only land-grant institution. Across its five-campus system — Twin Cities (flagship), Duluth, Morris, Crookston, and Rochester — it enrolls 50,000+ students, employs 25,000+ faculty and staff, and offers 150 undergraduate majors and 550+ graduate and professional degree programs. It is ranked 12th among US public research institutions, with 25 Nobel Prize recipients affiliated.
The university operates a multi-vertical research and clinical enterprise built on $1.35 billion in annual research expenditures and a $3.9 billion annual economic impact from its research portfolio. Core technology assets include the CRAM (Computational Random Access Memory) compute-in-memory architecture that targets up to 1,000x reductions in AI energy consumption, the TriKE NK-cell engager platform (exclusively licensed to GT Biopharma, with three candidates in human trials), the YCT-529 non-hormonal male contraceptive (licensed to YourChoice Therapeutics), the PERT genome-editing strategy co-developed with Broad Institute/Harvard, and the CancerLLM — a 7-billion-parameter domain language model trained on 2.7 million clinical notes and 515,524 pathology reports. Healthcare is delivered through the M Health Fairview system, which treats 1M+ patients annually and trains 70% of Minnesota's physicians.
Revenue is generated through four primary streams: tuition and fees across 150 undergraduate and 550+ graduate programs, recurring research grants ($1.35B annually from federal, foundation, and industry sources), healthcare services through M Health Fairview, and technology commercialization. Since 2006 the university has launched 300+ startups — ranking 3rd among US public universities for startup formation — with collective investment capital of $3.5 billion and 70% of spin-offs retained in Minnesota. The university is governed as a state entity with no private equity or venture ownership, and recently finalized a 10-year, $1 billion healthcare partnership with Fairview Health Services.
University of Minnesota firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- University of Minnesota
- Legal name
- Regents of the University of Minnesota
- Website
- https://twin-cities.umn.edu
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1851
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- The University of Minnesota is a public land-grant research university operating five campuses with 150 undergraduate majors and 550+ graduate programs serving 50,000+ students. It funds $1.35B in annual research expenditures, treats 1M+ patients via M Health Fairview, and has spawned 300+ startups since 2006.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
University of Minnesota industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Land-Grant Public Research Universities (EDAHAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI), Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions (EDAHAAAG), Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)
Keywords
Where University of Minnesota is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
University of Minnesota business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: The university generates revenue through tuition and fees from undergraduate and graduate students across 150 undergraduate majors and 550+ graduate and professional degree programs
- Research Funding and Grants: The university receives $1.35 billion annually in research expenditures from federal agencies, foundations, and industry partners
- Healthcare Services: Revenue from patient care through M Health Fairview system serving approximately 1 million+ patients per year
- Technology Commercialization: Revenue from technology licensing, startup formation (300+ startups since 2006), and intellectual property commercialization
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Undergraduate tuition varies by residency status with financial aid available |
| Subscription | Annual | Graduate and professional tuition varies by program and residency status |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
University of Minnesota product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The University of Minnesota is a public land-grant research university delivering undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs across five campuses, alongside sponsored research, healthcare services through the M Health Fairview partnership, agricultural extension, and commercialized technology licensing. The institution generates $1.35 billion in annual research expenditures, treats 1 million+ patients per year, and has launched 300+ startups since 2006.
Product overview
The University of Minnesota is a large public research university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs across multiple campuses. The university operates Canvas LMS as its primary learning management system for delivering academic courses. Research activities encompass diverse domains including dark matter physics (SuperCDMS experiment), green ammonia production, and mental health interventions. The institution generates commercial impact through technology licensing, including the TriKE NK-cell engager platform licensed to GT Biopharma for cancer therapy development and CRAM technology spun off to BesiMax AI for energy-efficient AI processing. Over 300 startup companies have been launched from university research since 2006, with most remaining in Minnesota.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Goldy Gopher: Official mascot of the University of Minnesota
- The Barn
- Boynton Health
- M Health Fairview
Products and services
- Undergraduate Education Programs
- Graduate and Professional Education Programs
- Online and Continuing Education (CCAPS)
- M Health Fairview Healthcare Services
- Technology Licensing and Commercialization
- Sponsored Research and Industry Partnerships Sponsored research services delivered through the University of Minnesota's $1.35 billion annual research enterprise, funded by federal agencies (e.g., NIH $42M, NSF $20M, EPA $10M), foundations, and industry partners. Includes long-running collaborations with Medtronic (77-year relationship) and Phoenix Tailings (with MIT and DOE).
Quantifiable outcome
- 70% of Minnesota health professionals trained at U of M
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use University of Minnesota
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
University of Minnesota technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
University of Minnesota partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Phoenix TailingscorePhoenix Tailings partnered with MIT and the University of Minnesota to develop and deploy next-generation heavy rare earth material recovery capabilities as part of a $147.8 million project with $66 million DOE grant.
- GT BiopharmacoreExclusive license of TriKE platform from University of Minnesota. GT Biopharma has advanced three TriKE candidates into human clinical trials, with Phase 1 data expected in second half of 2026.
- GT BiopharmacoreGT Biopharma entered agreement with University of Minnesota to sponsor a Phase 1 clinical trial for GTB-5550, providing up to approximately $3.8 million over three years to support research.
- Fairview Health Servicesflagship10-year agreement with over $1 billion investment from Fairview ($1 billion for campus medical facilities and $50 million annually for Medical School) to continue healthcare partnership, ending years of uncertainty. Partnership serves approximately 1.2 million patients annually through M Health Fairview.
- M Physicians (University of Minnesota Physicians)corePart of the three-way partnership with Fairview Health Services and the University of Minnesota, stabilizing physician employment and healthcare services across Minnesota.
- MedtronicflagshipStrategic collaboration agreement to jointly address healthcare challenges and advance lab discoveries into patient care. Partnership focuses on medtech innovation areas including medical robotics, AI, and sustainability. Builds on 77-year relationship tracing back to Medtronic's 1949 founding by a UMN-educated electrical engineer.
- YourChoice TherapeuticscoreSan Francisco Bay Area biotech company that licensed the YCT-529 non-hormonal male birth control pill technology from the university in 2021, now sponsoring clinical trials.
- Second Harvest HeartlandminorPartnership with Second Harvest Heartland and University of Minnesota Foundation to expand Nutritious U Food Pantry, serving approximately 1,200 people weekly.
- Niron MagneticscoreUniversity of Minnesota spin-off constructing a 190,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Sartell, Minnesota for sustainable permanent magnets.
- BesiMax AI Inc.coreUniversity's 301st spin-off developing CRAM technology that could reduce AI energy consumption by up to 1,000 times, commercializing university research.
- General MillsminorPartnership with University of Minnesota for Kernza research and development, with General Mills quadrupling Kernza incorporation into Cascadian Farm cereals.
- Johns HopkinsminorCollaboration on CBD research examining effects on stress and chronic pain, in partnership with University of Minnesota Medical School's Duluth campus.
Scale indicators22 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
University of Minnesota competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- University of Michigan: Big Ten, R1 public research university with comparable scale (~$17B endowment, $1.6B+ research, medical/law/engineering schools). Directly comparable on flagship research university profile and Big Ten athletic/market positioning.
- University of Wisconsin-Madison: Peer Big Ten land-grant public research university in the Upper Midwest with similar medical, agricultural, and engineering programs. Directly competes for regional students, faculty, and research dollars.
- Ohio State University: Big Ten public R1 with comparable enrollment, research expenditures, and commercialization track record. The new UMN VP of Research (Dr. Carnes) came directly from Ohio State's research enterprise, confirming structural similarity.
- Penn State University: Land-grant public research university with multi-campus system and major extension/outreach mission. Closest peer to UMN's land-grant + multi-campus + extension architecture.
- Michigan State University: Big Ten land-grant public university with comparable medical, engineering, and agricultural schools. Directly competes in the Upper Midwest for students, faculty, and research funding.
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: Big Ten public R1 with strong engineering, agricultural, and computational sciences. Comparable on research expenditures, faculty quality, and commercialization activity.
- Purdue University: Big Ten land-grant public research university with strong engineering and STEM focus. Comparable on land-grant mission, startup formation activity, and large research enterprise.
- Indiana University: Big Ten public R1 with comparable medical school, research portfolio, and student population scale. Overlaps in graduate/professional education and athletics.
Regional players
- University of Iowa: Big Ten public R1 adjacent in the Upper Midwest with comparable medical/health sciences footprint. Overlaps in regional healthcare workforce training but does not directly compete in Twin Cities metro.
Broad incumbents
- University of California, Berkeley: Top-ranked public R1 research university with substantially larger research budget and broader commercialization activity. Serves as the upper-bound benchmark for UMN's research and IP ambitions.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
University of Minnesota social profiles
Digital presenceUniversity of Minnesota financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
University of Minnesota leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
University of Minnesota subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
University of Minnesota funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
University of Minnesota M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments15 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about University of Minnesota
What does University of Minnesota do?
The University of Minnesota is a public land-grant research university delivering undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs across five campuses, alongside sponsored research, healthcare services through the M Health Fairview partnership, agricultural extension, and commercialized technology licensing. The institution generates $1.35 billion in annual research expenditures, treats 1 million+ patients per year, and has launched 300+ startups since 2006.
Is University of Minnesota a public or private company?
University of Minnesota is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was University of Minnesota founded?
University of Minnesota was founded in 1851. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is University of Minnesota based?
University of Minnesota is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does University of Minnesota make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are research Funding and Grants, healthcare Services and technology Commercialization.
Who are University of Minnesota's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ohio State University, Penn State University, Michigan State University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Purdue University and Indiana University. University of Iowa is listed as a regional player. University of California, Berkeley is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does University of Minnesota have an API?
No public API is recorded for University of Minnesota.
What industry is University of Minnesota in?
University of Minnesota's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAAAB, Land-Grant Public Research Universities, with a secondary code of EDAHAAAI, Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.