Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta whose commercialization path runs through a 40-year technology transfer office, a drug-development fund built on earlier licensing wins, and a startup portfolio that is still mostly active.
Sponsored research awards totaled $1.075 billion in fiscal year 2025, the third consecutive year above $1 billion. Sponsored research expenditures also exceeded $1 billion for the third year in a row.
Commercialization runs through the Office of Technology Transfer, founded in 1985. In fiscal year 2025, faculty submitted 238 invention disclosures, the office reported 62 patents issued and five startups created, and it facilitated 35 licensing agreements. The portfolio holds 1,812 active technologies. Of 143 portfolio companies, 107 are still active. Over 40 years, the office has helped bring more than 65 products to market and generated nearly $1.4 billion in cumulative licensing revenue.
- Emory Drug Development Fund
Invests licensing revenue from molnupiravir, itself funded by the success of emtricitabine, into therapeutic ventures. The portfolio includes four startups and labs. - Emory BioFoundry Institute
Launched in 2025 to back faculty medical devices and diagnostics. Its first investment was TopoDx, an Emory-Georgia Tech startup developing rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing. - Founder support
The Emory Entrepreneurship Clinic, Faculty Founders Forum, and Widening Your Innovation Network speaker series connect researchers with entrepreneurs. Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory and both funds sit under Emory Innovations, Inc.
Investors and founders can reach Todd Sherer, associate vice president for research and executive director of the Office of Technology Transfer, through the office.
Learn more about the Office of Technology Transfer
Learn more about Emory University
