University of Georgia
RESEARCH & INNOVATION GOING FORWARD
  • UGA Website
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook

SEE WHAT ELSE WE HAVE TO OFFER AT UGA.EDU

12.15.25 Innovation Icon InnovationResearch Icon Research

Four Years at #1: UGA Leads in Research to Commercialization

UGA tops AUTM list for bringing more research-based products to market.

The University of Georgia continues to lead in translating innovative research into real-world applications. For four years running, UGA has earned the No. 1 ranking among U.S. universities for bringing new research-based products to market, according to AUTM’s annual surveys.  

UGA has been in the top 5 every year since those surveys began 13 years ago. 

From commercial-scale technology that destroys “forever chemicals” to an industrial water- and energy-saving textile dyeing process, UGA’s faculty turn ideas into impact and discoveries into meaningful change. 

“Collaborating with industry partners to translate discoveries from the lab and field into products that improve lives is central to UGA’s land-grant mission, and these results show our commercialization program continues to deliver,” says Derek Eberhart, associate vice president for research and executive director of UGA’s Innovation Gateway, the university’s hub for technology transfer and startup support. 

A close-up of two men in white lab coats.
UGA professor Qingguo (Jack) Huang, left, develop new technology to break down "forever chemicals." That process has been licensed by a global engineering consulting firm.
Quoatation

Moving research discoveries from our labs and fields to the market improves lives and drives economic impact as part of UGA’s land-grant mission.

Derek Eberhart, Associate Vice President for Research and Executive Director of Innovation Gateway, UGA’s research commercialization program

Notable AUTM metrics for UGA in FY25

  • No. 5 among U.S. universities for number of active licenses with industry, marking 19 consecutive years in the top 10.
  • No. 17 among U.S. universities for licensing revenue. UGA generated $19.2 million in licensing revenue in FY25.
  • No. 20 among U.S. universities for deal flow, the number of licenses and options executed with industry, marking 19 consecutive years in the top 20. UGA executed 110 licenses and options in 2025.
  • No. 20 among U.S. universities for the number of active startup companies. Among public universities, UGA ranked No. 8.

But rankings can’t always speak to tangible impact. The 58 products released include high-yielding, pest-resistant peanut cultivars; autogenous poultry vaccines; and a tool to help researchers detect certain glycan structures.

Products based on UGA research tend to fall into five broad categories:

  • Biomedical
  • Engineering and software
  • Research tools
  • Animal health (such as livestock vaccines)
  • Agricultural biotech and plant cultivars

Two men sit at a table and work on a large black drone.

UGA researchers in precision agriculture have developed crop-spraying drones.

“These rankings reflect the talent and hard work of our faculty, staff, and students, as well as the strength of the partnerships Innovation Gateway has forged with industry,” says Chris King, interim vice president for research. “We’re proud to support an innovation ecosystem that continues to translate UGA research into solutions that make a difference for the people of Georgia and far beyond.”

A black and white robot on four wheels sprays liquid on crops in a field.