URI Research Foundation
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1957
- HeadquartersKingston, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
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.
URI Research Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- 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
URI Research Foundation industry classification
Industry- 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
Where URI Research Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kingston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
URI Research Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
URI Research Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use URI Research Foundation
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
URI Research Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
URI Research Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- University of Alaska-FairbankscoreCollaboration 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 HawaiicoreCollaboration 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
URI Research Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
URI Research Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceURI Research Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
URI Research Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
URI Research Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
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URI Research Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about URI Research Foundation
What does URI Research Foundation do?
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.
Is URI Research Foundation a public or private company?
URI Research Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was URI Research Foundation founded?
URI Research Foundation was founded in 1957. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is URI Research Foundation based?
URI Research Foundation is headquartered in Kingston, United States, in the North America region.
How does URI Research Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Licensing Royalties are the primary driver. The others are startup/Venture Support and federal Grants.
Who are URI Research Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), Purdue Research Foundation / Purdue Innovates, USC Stevens Center for Innovation, University of Michigan Office of Technology Transfer, Research Foundation for The State University of New York (RF for SUNY), Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV) and Harvard Technology Development Accelerator / OTD. Broad incumbents are Stanford Office of Technology Licensing (OTL), MIT Technology Licensing Office (TLO) and Battelle Memorial Institute.
Does URI Research Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for URI Research Foundation.
What industry is URI Research Foundation in?
URI Research Foundation's product category is Technology Transfer and Research Commercialization Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAMAF, IP Licensing, Transactions & Technology Transfer, with a secondary code of EDAHABAH, Technology Transfer & Innovation-Driven Research Universities (High Commercialization). Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 6794.