UConn’s Technology Commercialization Services reported a record year in fiscal 2025, posting higher invention disclosures, more licensing activity, and increased startup fundraising and revenue despite a tougher national innovation environment.
The university said it logged 117 invention disclosures in FY2025, a 30% increase from the prior year, while its Technology Incubation Program delivered record fiscal growth, including a doubling of revenues over the past two years.
On the dealmaking side, UConn’s licensing team executed 27 option or licensing agreements, including 16 with startups, as it worked to move research discoveries toward commercialization. UConn also said it increased its equity positions from 24 to 36 companies, representing a 50% jump in the number of companies in which it holds equity.
Within the Technology Incubation Program, UConn highlighted multiple companies advancing products and scaling operations, and said the incubator reached full capacity, added new companies to its roster, and ended the year with a waiting list while discussing future campus expansion sites. UConn reported that TIP companies raised $97.8 million in new funding, up 39% from FY2024, and generated $9.9 million in revenue, doubling FY2023 figures and rising 40% year over year.
UConn also pointed to continued momentum in quantum entrepreneurship, noting that its broader quantum enterprise spans roughly 90 faculty researchers and that UConn, Yale, and QuantumCT are among 10 finalists being considered for a National Science Foundation award that could bring up to $160 million in research funding to Connecticut over 10 years.
Separately, UConn said its debut Tech Showcase in September drew hundreds of attendees from key sectors of Connecticut’s economy and innovation ecosystem, part of a broader slate of events that also included hackathons and programming focused on industry partnerships.
KEY QUOTES
“We’ve achieved remarkable growth at a time when financial markets have been unpredictable and we’ve had to really rethink our approach to innovation at UConn,” says Pamir Alpay, UConn interim provost. “Our TCS team has done incredible work to booster intellectual property and build our tech incubator. It speaks well to the present and future of invention at UConn, with positive impact on research and workforce development.”
Pamir Alpay, UConn Interim Provost
“This year’s results highlight the unique strength of UConn’s innovation ecosystem,” Abhijit Banerjee says, associate vice president for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. “TIP is where faculty, students, and entrepreneurs come together to turn bold ideas into thriving companies — and the impact we’re seeing across jobs, funding, and research translation is a direct reflection of that collaborative spirit.”
Abhijit Banerjee, Associate Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship
“It’s because we have this incredible hundred plus-year legacy of making incredibly complicated things here. That is where we have a true comparative edge,” said Daniel O’Keefe, the state Commissioner of the Economic Development and Chief Innovation Officer.
Daniel O’Keefe, Connecticut Commissioner of the Economic Development and Chief Innovation Officer
