UM Ventures

What UM Ventures does

UM Ventures is the joint technology transfer and commercialization office of the University System of Maryland, integrating the entrepreneurial programs of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP). Launched in 2012 through the MPowering the State Program under the direction of the USM Board of Regents and the Governor of Maryland, the organization guides university inventors and student entrepreneurs through the full innovation lifecycle, including invention disclosure intake, IP protection, patent prosecution, license negotiation, startup formation, and ongoing commercialization support. It also serves as the gateway for external industry partners seeking to license university-developed technologies, sponsor research, or form partnerships with UMB and UMCP faculty. The office is the institutional commercialization vehicle for both campuses and reports through the Vice Presidents of Research at UMCP and of Enterprise and Economic Development at UMB.

The discovery portfolio comprises 309+ licensable technologies spanning therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, research tools, and software, drawing from University of Maryland research programs in genomics, cancer, stem cell biology, bioengineering, IT, engineering, language, pharmaceutical, and dental sciences. In 2019, UM Ventures processed 302 invention disclosures (167 UMCP, 135 UMB), executed 67 license agreements, completed 123 technology licenses, issued 76 U.S. patents, and supported formation of 15 startups across both campuses. Operational infrastructure includes the Entrepreneurs-in-Residence program, Site Miners Initiative, New Ventures Initiative / Launchpad, the GRID innovation space at UMB, the Medical Device Prototyping Lab, and three university research parks (UM BioPark in Baltimore, the 150+ acre Discovery District at College Park, and the MTech Technology Business Incubator). Funding programs include the Maryland Innovation Initiative, Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS), the Life Sciences IP Fund, and the Maryland Momentum Fund. UM Ventures was ranked 8th among U.S. public institutions for U.S. utility patents in the National Academy of Inventors 2024 report.

Revenue is generated primarily through licensing fees, royalty streams, and equity stakes in startup companies formed around licensed technologies; per University of Maryland policy, the substantial majority of licensing proceeds are redistributed to inventors, their departments, and the governing research divisions rather than retained by the TTO. Operating capacity is sustained by state appropriations, partnership programs (including a five-year, $6 million collaboration with MedImmune/AstraZeneca announced in 2016), and the Maryland Momentum Fund (a $10–16 million early-stage investment vehicle). Notable portfolio outcomes include Harpoon Medical's acquisition by Edwards Lifesciences for $100 million (2017), Breethe's acquisition by Abiomed (April 2020), and Living Pharma's acquisition by Lentigen Technology (2017). As a state-funded university entity, UM Ventures does not report consolidated commercial revenue figures.

Name

UM Ventures

Legal name

University of Maryland Ventures

Website

https://umventures.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

UM Ventures is the joint technology transfer and commercialization office of the University System of Maryland, managing invention disclosures, IP protection, licensing, startup formation, and equity investments across UMB and College Park campuses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technology Transfer and Commercialization Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Patent Owners & Lessors (6794)

akta.pro primary industry

IP Licensing, Transactions & Technology Transfer (BPAHAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Patent Prosecution & Portfolio Management (BPAHAMAA), Corporate Strategic Partnership & Ecosystem Investment Arms (FSANAHAF), Technical Universities with Entrepreneurship & Incubation Focus (EDAHAEAH)

Keywords

• Technology transfer services
• University IP licensing
• Invention commercialization
• Patent licensing
• Startup formation support

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Licensing Revenue: UM Ventures generates revenue through licensing fees and royalties from technologies commercialized by industry partners. For licensed University technologies, revenues are shared between the inventors, the inventors' departments, and the appropriate division governing research at the University. At UMB, funds are disbursed annually on the anniversary of the first license payment receipt. At UMCP, funds are disbursed per the governing Policy on Intellectual Property.
2. Equity Investments: UM Ventures makes equity investments in UMB startups based on innovative technologies with promising commercial potential, generating returns when portfolio companies succeed or are acquired.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UM Ventures is the joint technology transfer office of the University of Maryland, Baltimore and College Park campuses, guiding inventors through the technology transfer cycle including IP protection, patent prosecution, marketing, licensing negotiation, startup formation, and commercialization support. It markets a discovery portfolio of 309+ technologies to industry partners, executes license and option agreements, makes equity investments in UMB startups, and runs educational and funding programs such as I-Corps and the Maryland Momentum Fund.

Product overview

UM Ventures is a university technology transfer and commercialization organization, not a software product company. It provides a coordinated suite of services spanning the entire innovation lifecycle — from invention disclosure and IP protection through licensing, startup formation, and funding. The core offerings include Technology Transfer Services (IP protection, licensing, commercialization), Startup Support Programs (Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, Site Miners, VentureAccelerator), Educational Programs (President's Entrepreneurial Fellowship, I-Corps, Graduate Translational Research Award), Funding Programs (Maryland Innovation Initiative, MIPS, Maryland Momentum Fund, Life Sciences IP Fund), and Physical Facilities (The GRID innovation space, Medical Device Prototyping Lab, University Research Parks). These services are integrated through the New Ventures Initiative to help University of Maryland faculty and students move discoveries from the lab to market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 302 invention disclosures received in 2019
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MedImmune (AstraZeneca)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Five-year, $6 million collaboration to drive novel bioscience research in Maryland. MedImmune and UM Ventures contribute funding for joint research projects in cardiovascular/metabolic disease, oncology, respiratory/inflammation/autoimmunity, and infectious disease. Provides scientific exchange and educational training between scientists, students, and post-doctoral fellows. UMBC is an integral member.
• Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational leader in entrepreneurship and innovation education and venture creation. Part of A. James Clark School of Engineering at UMCP. Educates next generation of technology entrepreneurs, creates successful technology ventures, and connects Maryland companies with university resources.
• Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between U.S. Small Business Administration, State of Maryland, and University of Maryland, College Park. Provides training, confidential consulting, and market/industry research to Maryland's small businesses across 24 jurisdictions.
• Dingman Center for EntrepreneurshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of nation's pre-eminent institutions for entrepreneurship research, education, and practice. Located at Robert H. Smith School of Business. Develops and executes curricular and non-curricular programs leveraging thought leadership and experiential learning to provide maximum resources to startup businesses.
• Academy for Innovation and EntrepreneurshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 2013 by Dr. Dean Chang to engage every college in design thinking and lean startup methodology. Coordinates and leads UMD's innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development ecosystem.
• Center for Clinical Trials and Corporate Contracts (CCT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAt UMB, develops and negotiates clinical trial agreements, confidential disclosure agreements, corporate-sponsored research agreements, and material transfer agreements with industry partners.
• National Science Foundation I-CorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year NSF grant supporting intensive program to help student and faculty entrepreneurs bring discoveries to market. UM Ventures leads one of five I-Corps programs in the country. Engages participants in customer discovery and business model validation.
• UM BioParkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner14-acre biomedical research park on UMB campus. Community of life science companies and academic research centers commercializing drugs, diagnostics, devices and advancing biomedical research.
• Discovery DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Maryland Research Park spanning 150+ acres adjacent to UMCP. Dynamic location for science and technology companies. Ranked among top 20 public research universities. Maryland's largest research park.
• MTech Technology Business IncubatorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology business incubator on UMCP campus offering furnished offices, flexible lab space, and support services for early-stage technology companies. Over 20 years helping entrepreneurs build successful technology companies.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stanford Office of Technology Licensing (OTL): Stanford OTL is the technology transfer office for Stanford University, one of the most prolific university TTOs globally. It is comparable to UM Ventures because it performs the same core function — patenting, marketing, and licensing university-developed inventions to industry — but operates at significantly larger scale and with a deeper biotech and software portfolio.
• MIT Technology Licensing Office (TLO): MIT TLO manages intellectual property arising from MIT research, licensing patents and forming startups across engineering, life sciences, and physical sciences. It is directly comparable to UM Ventures in mission and structure, with a stronger engineering/IT tilt and a much larger historical deal flow.
• Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF): WARF is one of the oldest and largest university tech transfer organizations in the U.S., managing patents, licensing, and venture funding for University of Wisconsin discoveries. Comparable to UM Ventures in operating model (TTO + venture arm) but with a much longer track record and substantially larger endowment/fund base.
• Penn Center for Innovation (PCI): PCI handles technology transfer, licensing, and startup formation for the University of Pennsylvania, with strong portfolios in biotech, medical devices, and digital health. Directly comparable to UM Ventures in cross-disciplinary IP licensing and Bayh-Dole-driven commercialization, with greater deal-flow volume.
• Columbia Technology Ventures: Columbia Technology Ventures is Columbia University's tech transfer office, patenting and licensing inventions in engineering, life sciences, and physical sciences from Columbia faculty. Comparable to UM Ventures as a private university TTO with a New York-based industry partnership network and equity investment programs.
• Harvard Office of Technology Development (OTD): Harvard OTD manages patenting, licensing, and industry-sponsored research for Harvard University, with a heavy emphasis on life sciences and biotech. Comparable to UM Ventures in TTO function and Bayh-Dole-based IP licensing, with a much larger biotech portfolio and deeper pharma industry relationships.
• University of California Technology Transfer Office: The UC system operates a network of technology transfer offices across 10 campuses, collectively one of the largest university TTO operations in the world. Comparable to UM Ventures in mission and structure but with significantly larger scale, broader technology coverage, and more resources.

Direct peers

• Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV): JHTV is the technology transfer and commercialization arm for Johns Hopkins University, also located in Maryland. It is the closest geographic peer to UM Ventures and competes directly for Maryland-based biotech and medtech licensing deals, equity co-investment partners, and industry-sponsored research agreements.
• Duke Office of Licensing & Ventures: Duke's Office of Licensing & Ventures handles tech transfer, licensing, and startup formation for Duke University, with strong concentrations in biomedical research. Directly comparable to UM Ventures in cross-disciplinary (biomed + engineering) IP licensing and New Ventures-style startup programs.

Emerging players

• Yale Office of Cooperative Research (OCR): Yale OCR handles patenting, licensing, and startup formation for Yale University, with strong life sciences and biotech concentration. Comparable to UM Ventures in TTO function and venture creation programs, though with a smaller portfolio and fewer cross-disciplinary engineering sources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/UMDTechTransfer
• Facebookfacebook.com/UMDTechTransfer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umventures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments7 records

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

Frequently asked questions about UM Ventures