University of Akron Research Foundation

Name

University of Akron Research Foundation

Legal name

University of Akron Research Foundation

Website

https://uakronuarf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technology Commercialization Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Patent Owners & Lessors (6794)

akta.pro primary industry

Technology Transfer & Innovation-Driven Research Universities (High Commercialization) (EDAHABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD), Technical Universities with Entrepreneurship & Incubation Focus (EDAHAEAH)

Keywords

• Technology commercialization
• Entrepreneurship programs
• Technology licensing
• Startup incubation
• Research foundation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Akron

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State of Ohio Funding: UARF receives operational and programmatic support from Ohio Third Frontier, Ohio Department of Development, and State of Ohio grants. These funds support programs like Spark Fund, which provides up to $35,000 per project for prototyping and testing. The State also funds TVSF (Technology Validation and Start-up Fund) awards of $100,000-$150,000 for technology commercialization.
2. NSF I-Corps Program Funding: UARF receives NSF grants to operate its regional I-Corps site. The NSF also provides National I-Corps Teams grants of $50,000 to UA faculty teams. Additional NSF programs include the Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) program at $250,000 and SBIR support services.
3. Licensing and Royalty Revenue: UARF is the official licensing arm for The University of Akron and holds more than 400 active issued, pending and provisional patents. Licensing deals range from Fortune 500 companies to early-stage startups across advanced materials, specialty polymers, electronics, medical devices, biomimicry, sensors, and enterprise software. UARF facilitates technology licensing agreements that generate royalty income.
4. NEOSVF Student Venture Fund: The Northeast Ohio Student Venture Fund (NEOSVF) is a student-run fund that conducts due diligence and invests up to $25,000 per company in Northeast Ohio tech-based startups. Since 2012, NEOSVF has invested $305,000 in 13 companies, which received $7 million in follow-on funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The University of Akron Research Foundation (UARF) operates as the technology transfer and commercialization arm of The University of Akron. It delivers structured entrepreneurship programs (Starting Line pre-accelerator, I-Corps customer discovery, Advanced Customer Discovery), provides prototyping funding through the Spark Fund, runs the student-managed NEOSVF venture fund, and facilitates the licensing of more than 400 active patents covering advanced materials, polymers, medical devices, and sensors to industry partners ranging from Fortune 500 companies to early-stage startups.

Product overview

UARF offers a comprehensive suite of entrepreneurship programs designed to support researchers, creators, and problem-solvers in moving their ideas from concept to reality. The core offerings include Starting Line (pre-accelerator), I-Corps (6-week customer discovery), Advanced Customer Discovery (ACD), Spark Fund (up to $35,000 in prototyping funding), and NEOSVF (student-run investment fund up to $25,000). These programs are designed as a progression pathway: Starting Line introduces the Business Model Canvas, I-Corps provides intensive customer validation through interviews, ACD offers deeper exploration, and Spark Fund provides funding for prototyping. UARF also provides startup support services including SBIR assistance and legal support through the SEED Clinic.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Starting Line

Quantifiable outcome

• 895+ entrepreneurial teams and 2,136 individual participants have completed UARF's I-Corps program
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Great Lakes Region I-Corps HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Akron is an Affiliate of the Great Lakes Region I-Corps Hub, which provides resources and support for regional I-Corps programs. The hub connects institutions across Ohio including UA, University of Toledo, and Ohio State University.
• SEED Clinic at University of Akron Law SchoolcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides startup legal support and advice to UARF program participants. Available to those who complete the Starting Line pre-accelerator program. Part of UARF's comprehensive startup support ecosystem.
• JumpStartminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional entrepreneurial support organization that UARF refers entrepreneurs to for additional funding and support services. Listed as a partner on UARF's funding opportunities page.
• Bounce Innovation HubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAkron-based innovation hub where Fontus Blue (UARF portfolio company) moved in June 2018. UARF portfolio companies may be housed at the Bounce Innovation Hub.
• Akron Global Business AcceleratorminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBusiness accelerator in Akron where Fontus Blue and Komae (UARF portfolio companies) are housed. Part of the regional startup ecosystem that UARF connects entrepreneurs to.
• Deshpande FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwards sponsor for UARF's I-Corps program recognition at the Deshpande Symposium. Foundation supports innovation and entrepreneurship across university environments in the U.S. and Canada.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Purdue Research Foundation: Purdue Research Foundation is a nonprofit affiliated with Purdue University that handles technology transfer, patenting, licensing, and entrepreneurship support for Purdue researchers. It is comparable to UARF because both operate as university-affiliated tech transfer foundations running inventor support, startup incubation, and licensing programs.
• Ohio State University Technology Commercialization Office: Ohio State University's TCO manages invention disclosures, patenting, and licensing for OSU researchers and is part of the Great Lakes Region I-Corps Hub alongside UARF. It is a direct regional peer delivering the same tech transfer and commercialization services to a different Ohio university.
• Case Western Reserve University Technology Transfer Office: CWRU's Technology Transfer Office supports faculty invention disclosures, patent prosecution, and startup formation in Northeast Ohio. It is comparable because it serves a research university in the same region, competing for similar faculty inventors and licensing deals.
• University of Michigan Technology Transfer Office: U-M Tech Transfer handles patenting, licensing, and startup creation for one of the largest public research universities in the U.S. It is comparable because it operates at much greater scale but performs the same core functions UARF does for the University of Akron.
• Innovation Fund (Lorain County Community College Foundation): The Innovation Fund is Northeast Ohio's most active early-stage technology fund, providing up to $100K to startups, including UARF graduates. It is comparable because it is a core regional funding partner that UARF graduates depend on for first institutional capital.

Broad incumbents

• MIT Technology Licensing Office: MIT TLO is one of the largest and most established university tech transfer offices, generating significant licensing revenue from MIT IP. It is comparable in function (licensing, startup formation, industry partnerships) but operates at vastly greater scale and commercial maturity than UARF.
• Stanford Office of Technology Licensing: Stanford OTL manages invention disclosures, patenting, and exclusive licensing for Stanford University and has helped spawn companies like Google and Cisco. It is comparable in mission but represents the upper bound of university tech transfer scale and sophistication.

Regional players

• JumpStart Inc. JumpStart is a Northeast Ohio entrepreneur support organization that provides coaching, capital connections, and programming to early-stage startups. It is comparable because it sits alongside UARF in the regional ESP network and refers community entrepreneurs into UARF programs.
• Bounce Innovation Hub: Bounce Innovation Hub is an Akron-based incubator that houses UARF portfolio companies such as Fontus Blue. It is comparable because it provides physical incubation and coworking infrastructure that complements UARF's programming in the same local ecosystem.

Others

• NSF I-Corps Program: The NSF I-Corps national program is the originator and primary funder of the customer-discovery curriculum UARF teaches. It is comparable as the upstream program that defines UARF's core methodology, sets evaluation standards, and provides funding pathways for UARF teams.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UAkronUARF

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University of Akron Research Foundation