The University of Kentucky is a public research university in Lexington whose commercialization path runs through UK Innovate, with a patent ranking in the global top 100 and a licensing office that set campus records in fiscal year 2025.
Research expenditures totaled $542.3 million in fiscal year 2025. The university estimates that research supported 5,149 jobs in Kentucky and had a $1.02 billion economic impact in the state. Fiscal year 2024 expenditures of $527 million ranked the university 67th among 681 public and private institutions. The National Academy of Inventors ranked Kentucky No. 64 worldwide for U.S. utility patents granted in 2024.
Commercialization runs through UK Innovate | Technology Commercialization, based in the ASTeCC Building. The office assesses, protects, and licenses early-stage technologies and co-creates startups. Fiscal year 2025 produced the most patents issued and the most licenses executed in university history, and the second-most inventions disclosed: more than 100 innovators were issued 61 patents, 40 licenses and options were executed, and teams received four SBIR/STTR awards. Twenty-nine teams completed Launch Blue’s UAccel program.
- Current portfolio
The office reports 143 innovation disclosures, 41 licenses and options, 40 patents issued worldwide, and $2.2 million in license income in the latest fiscal-year snapshot. It holds 1,052 worldwide patent assets. - AUTM
In the fiscal year 2025 survey, Kentucky ranked 53rd among public universities in licensing income, at $2,594,021, and 77th among public universities in startups created.
Investors and founders can reach Technology Commercialization through UK Innovate.
Learn more about UK Innovate
Learn more about the University of Kentucky
