URI Research Foundation

What URI Research Foundation does

The University of Rhode Island Research Foundation (URIRF) is a private non-profit research foundation founded in 1957 and headquartered in Kingston, Rhode Island, that operates the University of Rhode Island's technology transfer and innovation commercialization hub under the brand URI Innovations. The foundation translates university research into commercial applications across ocean/marine technology, life sciences, and blue economy domains, maintaining a portfolio of 100+ issued patents, 400+ invention disclosures, and 60+ active licenses.

Its core operational platform is URI Innovations, which provides a structured pathway from invention disclosure through IP strategy, development, licensing, startup formation, and partnership development. Distribution occurs through direct engagement with faculty and student inventors, a licensing portal hosted via In-Part, a URI Spinouts Directory, and structured partnership programs. The foundation's geographic footprint extends beyond Rhode Island through the RISE-UP initiative to Alaska and Hawaii via partnerships with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and the University of Hawaii.

URI Research Foundation generates revenue through three primary streams: licensing royalties and fees from commercialized URI-developed technologies, returns (including equity stakes and revenue-sharing arrangements) from URI spinout companies, and federal grants supporting innovation and entrepreneurship programs. Notable funding includes a $2.4 million Office of Naval Research grant (June 2023) for the RISE-UP initiative and a $1.45 million U.S. Department of Labor grant (July 2024). Leadership includes Chairman Peter Kaczmarek and Director of Technology Transfer & Innovation Partnerships Allison Markova, appointed in October 2025.

Name

URI Research Foundation

Legal name

University of Rhode Island Research Foundation

Website

https://urirf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The University of Rhode Island Research Foundation is a non-profit organization operating URI Innovations, the university's technology transfer and commercialization hub, licensing ocean, marine, and life sciences innovations and supporting spinouts through federal grants and industry partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technology Transfer and Research Commercialization Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Patent Owners & Lessors (6794)

akta.pro primary industry

IP Licensing, Transactions & Technology Transfer (BPAHAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technology Transfer & Innovation-Driven Research Universities (High Commercialization) (EDAHABAH), IP Filing, Annuities & Renewals Administration (BPAHAMAJ), IP Search, Watch & Competitive Intelligence (BPAHAMAI)

Keywords

• Technology transfer services
• University research commercialization
• IP licensing
• Startup incubation
• Blue economy innovation

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Licensing Royalties: Revenue generated from licensing URI-developed technologies, patents, and innovations to external companies and startups. The organization earns royalties and licensing fees from commercializing university research.
2. Startup/Venture Support: Returns from supporting URI spinout companies and startups, including equity stakes and revenue sharing arrangements with ventures built around university intellectual property.
3. Federal Grants: Funding received from federal agencies such as the Office of Naval Research to support innovation programs, technology development, and entrepreneurship initiatives in strategic sectors like blue economy and marine technologies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

URI Research Foundation operates URI Innovations, the technology transfer and commercialization hub of the University of Rhode Island. It translates academic discoveries into commercial applications by managing intellectual property (100+ issued patents, 400+ invention disclosures, 60+ active licenses), licensing those inventions to industry partners, and supporting the formation of startup and spinout ventures. Services span the full commercialization lifecycle, from invention disclosure intake and IP protection through licensing, startup incubation, and strategic industry partnerships.

Product overview

URI Innovations is the technology transfer and commercialization platform of the University of Rhode Island Research Foundation. It operates as a unified service hub that connects researchers, industry partners, and entrepreneurs to translate discoveries into commercial applications. The platform encompasses commercialization pathways guidance, training resources, startup support services, licensing opportunities through an external portal, facilities access, a spinouts directory, and various innovation programs. These components work together to support innovators from initial disclosure through technology commercialization and venture creation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• URI Innovations The technology transfer and commercialization hub of URI Research Foundation, providing end-to-end services from invention disclosure and IP protection through licensing, startup/spinout formation, and industry partnership facilitation. It serves companies seeking to license URI-held IP, URI faculty/students who disclose inventions, and investors/collaborators funding research translation.
• URI IP Licensing Opportunities Standing licensing service offering that allows industry partners to license URI-held intellectual property from a portfolio of 100+ issued patents and 60+ active licenses. Designed for companies and industry partners commercializing university-derived innovations, including blue-economy and marine-technology inventions.
• RISE-UP Initiative Federal grant-funded program (backed by a $2.4M Office of Naval Research award) that translates University of Rhode Island marine and blue-economy research into commercial outcomes, supporting innovators and partners working at the intersection of ocean technology and federal/naval applications.
• URI Spinouts Directory Public directory service listing startups and spinouts formed through URI Innovations, surfacing ventures for prospective partners, investors, and collaborators evaluating URI-affiliated companies for licensing, investment, or partnership.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60+ active licenses for URI-developed innovations generating ongoing revenue
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University of Alaska-FairbankscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2023Collaboration partner in the RISE-UP initiative focused on developing dual-use technologies for military and commercial applications in blue economy and marine sectors. The partnership spans three states to commercialize products and foster innovation.
• University of HawaiicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2023Collaboration partner in the RISE-UP initiative focused on advancing the blue economy and marine technologies through the commercialization of dual-use products. Works jointly with URI and University of Alaska-Fairbanks on innovation across three states.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF): WARF is a non-profit research foundation affiliated with the University of Wisconsin that owns and licenses university patents, supports startups, and reinvests returns into research — directly comparable to URIRF's model of holding IP for the university and licensing for royalty/equity returns.
• Purdue Research Foundation / Purdue Innovates: Purdue Research Foundation is a non-profit that operates the university's technology transfer and commercialization office, including the Purdue Research Park. Same university-affiliated non-profit operating model, same IP licensing + startup formation activities as URIRF.
• USC Stevens Center for Innovation: USC Stevens is the technology transfer, licensing, and startup creation hub for the University of Southern California, performing analogous IP licensing, disclosure handling, and commercialization activities as URIRF's URI Innovations.
• University of Michigan Office of Technology Transfer: The University of Michigan's tech transfer office manages invention disclosures, patent prosecution, licensing, and startup formation across all UMich research — directly analogous in function and structure to URI Innovations at URI.
• Research Foundation for The State University of New York (RF for SUNY): RF for SUNY is a non-profit research foundation that administers grants, technology transfer, and commercialization activity for the SUNY system. Same university-affiliated non-profit structure and scope of IP/research commercialization activity as URIRF, but at multi-campus scale.
• Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV): JHTV is the technology transfer and commercialization arm of Johns Hopkins University, responsible for licensing patents, supporting startups, and managing industry partnerships — directly analogous in role to URI Innovations.
• Harvard Technology Development Accelerator / OTD: Harvard's Office of Technology Development performs the same university tech transfer, patent licensing, and startup-formation function for Harvard research as URIRF's URI Innovations does for URI, at larger scale and with broader IP categories.

Broad incumbents

• Stanford Office of Technology Licensing (OTL): Stanford OTL is one of the largest and most established university tech transfer offices, handling IP licensing, disclosures, and spinouts across all Stanford research domains. Comparable function to URIRF, but at vastly larger scale, broader portfolio, and more established startup ecosystem.
• MIT Technology Licensing Office (TLO): MIT TLO performs the same tech transfer and patent licensing function for MIT as URIRF does for URI, but at substantially larger scale, broader IP volume, and with deeper industry ties across many technology domains.
• Battelle Memorial Institute: Battelle is a large non-profit applied science and technology development organization that manages IP, licenses patents, and runs research commercialization programs across many domains — broader and much larger than URIRF, but sharing the non-profit IP commercialization structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uri-research-foundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/unitedreligionsinitiative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about URI Research Foundation