The University of Florida has once again demonstrated its unwavering commitment to innovation and technology transfer, achieving new record highs across several key metrics for fiscal year 2025, which concluded on June 30. UF Innovate | Tech Licensing reported substantial increases, highlighting the university's prowess in moving groundbreaking discoveries from the lab to the marketplace. These achievements underscore UF's ongoing dedication to fostering academic entrepreneurship and societal benefit.

A critical indicator of the robust translational research conducted at UF is the significant rise in technology disclosures. The university registered an impressive 446 technology disclosures in FY2025, a notable increase from the 369 reported in the previous fiscal year. Jim O’Connell, assistant vice president of commercialization at UF, emphasized the importance of these disclosures, stating, "Our record number of technology disclosures is a great sign. Everything we do starts with those disclosures. They are the raw material for potential licenses and startups, everything."

These disclosures initiate the commercialization process, where innovations are rigorously vetted by licensing teams, undergo prior art searches to assess intellectual property availability, and are then marketed to potential licensees, including entrepreneurs and established businesses.

In addition to the surge in disclosures, UF also executed a higher number of licenses and material transfer agreements. The university finalized 131 licenses in FY2025, an increase from 121 in the preceding fiscal year. A license functions as a contract that grants an entrepreneur or company access to and permission to utilize the intellectual property of an invention, with royalties benefiting UF, the inventors, and their respective departments.

Furthermore, UF recorded 859 material transfer agreements, a slight rise from 848. These agreements facilitate the lending of biological or chemical materials between labs, accompanied by specific usage guidelines. To safeguard the intellectual property generated within the university, UF also intensified its patenting efforts.

In FY2025, the university filed 455 patent applications, up from 418. While the patent granting process typically spans 2 to 3 years with a 50-60 percent success rate, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) granted UF 125 patents during this fiscal year. The university also maintained its steady pace in fostering new ventures, with nine startups created, reflecting a consistent commitment to entrepreneurship.

These remarkable achievements position FY2025 as one of UF's most successful innovation years, echoing the strong performance seen in fiscal year 2020. That year, UF licensed 132 technologies, formed 16 startups, and disclosed 393 discoveries, earning a No. 1 productivity ranking from the Bush Institute. This historical context highlights UF's consistent excellence in innovation.

O’Connell commended the collective efforts of the entire UF Innovate team and the broader innovation ecosystem. This comprehensive ecosystem includes Tech Licensing, Ventures, Pathways, and Accelerates two incubator facilities, Sid Martin Biotech and The Hub. Originating as a tech transfer office in 1985, this ecosystem is celebrating 40 years of dedicated work in leveraging innovation to create businesses and contribute positively to the world.