Turning Innovations Into Real-World Applications.

UGA’s Innovation Gateway again leads the nation in new products based on research.

What happens on campus, doesn’t stay on campus, as the University of Georgia once again ranks No. 1 among U.S. universities for number of commercial products to market based on its research, according to an annual survey conducted by AUTM. For nine straight years, UGA has placed in the top two and has never been out of the Top 5 in the 11 years the survey has been reported by AUTM.

UGA industry partners and startups released a record 66 new products developed from the university’s research in fiscal year 2023. These products include new drug development technology, research tools, sustainable fabric dyeing technology, a 3D scaffolding technology for cell manufacturing, software, and several new crop varieties such as peanut, blueberries and turfgrass, all showcasing the breadth of research at UGA..

“UGA’s consistently high ranking for new products based on university research developed by our industry partners is a testament to the creativity and tireless effort by our faculty and students and UGA’s robust industry partnerships,” said Derek Eberhart, associate vice president for research and executive director of Innovation Gateway, UGA’s technology transfer organization.

Image of UGA researcher working at a lab at a bench with a pipette.

“Reaching the No. 1 spot again shows UGA’s commitment to working with our industry collaborators to apply our research activities to address real-world needs.”
Derek Eberhart, associate vice president for research and executive director of Innovation Gateway, UGA’s technology transfer organization

Formerly known as the Association of University Technology Managers, AUTM supports the development of academic research among universities and other research institutions. AUTM conducts an annual survey of intellectual property licensing and startup activities, and then turns the survey data into a report that ranks those institutions along several tech-transfer categories.

Overall, industry partners have brought more than 1,200 products based on UGA research to market. Many support Georgia’s multibillion-dollar agriculture industry, like the new high-oleic peanut variety; this new peanut variant helps extend shelf life for peanuts and products that include peanuts. New pecan varieties help support Georgia’s position as the leader in U.S. pecan production.

Others, like UGA-developed blueberries, are used on every continent except Antarctica.

One of these products comes from InfraredRX, a UGA startup company working to produce an all-in-one, noninvasive device to help measure and guide treatment for peripheral artery disease. Described by InfraredRX co-founder Kevin McCully as an “early version of the Star Trek tricorder,” this product has potential use for situations like tracking muscle overexertion during exercise. The company has been awarded grants from the Georgia Research Alliance and over $1.5 million in STTR grant funding from the National Institutes of Health to develop its product.

UGA was also ranked No. 6 among U.S. universities for active licenses with industry, marking the 17th consecutive year it ranked among the top 15. It ranked No. 8 in number of licenses and options executed with industry, also top 15 for the 17th consecutive year, and earned $12 million in licensing revenue for FY23, an increase just shy of $1 million year over year.

“The University of Georgia is proud of its success in translating research into products that improve the quality of life for citizens in Georgia and beyond,” said S. Jack Hu, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “This latest ranking by AUTM is further evidence of the incredible trajectory of UGA’s research enterprise and innovation ecosystem.”