The University of Tennessee, Knoxville: Research to Revenue

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Summit Venture Studio

Research to Revenue Report

Summit Venture Studio (SVS) Opportunities

SVS has identified 4 commercialization opportunities from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville and scored them based on our proprietary metrics and rubrics.

The SVS model is to identify the top 1% of commercialization opportunities and start companies around them.

Please connect with SVS if you would like to engage with us in our startup and investment efforts.

Return on Research (ROR) Analysis

Commercialization Revenue per Research Dollar

Top Universities by Return on Research (ROR)

ROI Ratio: Commercialization Revenue ÷ Research Funding

University Innovation Analysis

Total Innovation Scores by Institution

Top Universities by Innovation Score

180+ High Innovation

150-179 Strong Innovation

130-149 Moderate Innovation

100-129 Emerging Innovation

130+ total score considered high innovation impact

SVS Innovation Index

Proprietary Assessment of The University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Innovation Ecosystem
Score out of 100. Benchmark: Top 50 U.S. research institutions.
A score of 90/100 can be read "doing better than 90% of schools benchmarked"

Innovation Visibility

65/100

Definition: Media mentions, publication count, and global research visibility metrics

Startup Momentum

7/100

Definition: Growth in patents, funding, and startup formation

Ecosystem Strength

56/100

Definition: Tech transfer infrastructure and support systems

Innovation Legacy

A Timeline of Groundbreaking Discoveries

Innovation Timeline

Founded

1794

First Nobel

1995

First Patent

1974

First IPO

1995

2022-2024

AI-powered diagnostics

2025

Today

Notable Commercialization Outcomes

Nobel Prizes

1950s

Patent Awarded

First patent for agricultural tech

1950s

License Agreement

Commercial license for biotech innovation

1980s

Startup Founded

Spin-off company in medical devices

1990s

Patent Filed

Advanced materials patent filed

2000s

Industry Partnership

Collaboration with tech corporations

2010s

Competitive Benchmarking

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville vs. Peer Research Universities

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville vs Peers Comparison

Metric	The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (FY2023)	Peer Average	Elite Average
Annual R&D Expenditure	$339M	$855M	$1,675M
New Inventions Disclosed	7	200	400
Startups Formed	2	7	10
Visibility Index	19	12	23
Licensing Revenue	$5M	$17M	$46M

Note: Peer Average = Median value among U.S. R1 research universities. Elite Average = Top 10 ranked U.S. research universities.

Emerging Opportunities

1. Advanced Battery Technology for Electric Vehicles

Revolutionizing EV range and charging speed, UT’s battery tech addresses energy storage limits, enabling scalable, cost-effective electric transportation solutions worldwide.

2. AI-Driven Precision Agriculture Systems

UT’s AI platform optimizes crop yields and resource use, tackling food security and sustainability challenges with scalable, data-driven farming innovations.

3. Next-Generation Biodegradable Plastics

UT develops eco-friendly plastics reducing pollution, offering scalable alternatives to traditional plastics with significant environmental and regulatory market advantages.

4. Novel Cancer Immunotherapy Approaches

UT’s breakthrough immunotherapy targets resistant tumors, addressing unmet oncology needs with scalable, personalized treatment potential and competitive clinical efficacy.

5. Cybersecurity Solutions for Critical Infrastructure

UT’s advanced cybersecurity tech protects vital systems from growing threats, offering scalable, adaptive defense critical for national security and enterprise markets.

6. High-Performance Composite Materials for Aerospace

UT’s composites improve aircraft efficiency and durability, addressing industry demands with scalable manufacturing and competitive weight-saving advantages for aerospace markets.