Duke University

The Office of Translation and Commercialization and the Office for External Partnerships together provide a dual-track system for industry engagement — one focused on licensing and spinouts, the other on brokering strategic corporate research relationships. In a recent five-year period, Duke startups collectively raised $2.4 billion, with more than 125 currently in operation. The university's position within North Carolina's Research Triangle gives corporate partners access to a broader regional ecosystem of biotech, pharmaceutical, and technology firms. Faculty secure competitive funding from NIH, NSF, DOD, DOE, and DARPA, and a dedicated accelerator fund provides grants to help move early-stage discoveries toward commercial viability.