Research and scholarship from faculty and staff at the University of Iowa (UI) often lead to the discovery of innovations that can improve the quality of life for people in the state, the nation, and worldwide. The University of Iowa Research Foundation (UIRF) works to obtain intellectual property protection—like patents and copyrights—on these innovations and partners with industry for the commercial development of new products and services.

UIRF is part of the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) and works to deliver UI innovations out into the world by:

  • Building relationships with researchers through IP protection and jumpstarting commercialization;
  • Working collaboratively with industry through IP licensing or other partnerships; and
  • Supporting new ventures in collaboration with UI Ventures.