Vanderbilt's Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization closed out fiscal 2025 with a record number of invention disclosures and one of its busiest years for licensing. In FY26, the team raised the bar even higher.
In FY26, CTTC processed 267 new invention disclosures, a 16 percent increase over the previous year's 231. That back-to-back growth signals that Vanderbilt's high-performance innovation engine is accelerating.
Growing a community of new inventors
Behind the big disclosure number is a story CTTC has been working to cultivate: More Vanderbilt researchers are stepping forward with ideas. Of those 267 inventions, 196 included Vanderbilt researchers disclosing an invention for the very first time.
The growth reflects a sustained, coordinated push to lower the barriers to engagement across campus. Over the past year, CTTC deepened its faculty outreach through the Innovation Ambassadors program, which embeds trusted peer advocates in schools and colleges. To keep researcher perspectives at the forefront of its operations, the center relaunched its Faculty Advisory Committee and developed a popular lunch-and-learn series to demystify the path from discovery to disclosure to protection to commercialization. These efforts are turning initial conversations into first disclosures and cultivating a broader culture of innovation.
"This back-to-back record growth is a direct reflection of our faculty's drive to solve complex problems that impact society in meaningful ways," said Susan Margulies, vice provost for research and innovation. "Vanderbilt empowers that drive by removing barriers to innovation. Seeing so many researchers step forward to disclose an invention for the first time underscores our commitment to translating discoveries into tangible, real-world impact."
Turning discoveries into impact
The record-breaking momentum extended across nearly every stage of the commercialization pipeline. CTTC executed 108 licensing transactions, another all-time high, moving Vanderbilt technologies into pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, engineering and medical device developers, startups and other partners who are poised to translate research into impact.
The surge in activity translated into measurable returns for the university. Licensing revenue climbed to $21.4 million, up sharply from $13.6 million the previous year. In addition to securing 63 U.S. patents, CTTC supported the Vanderbilt research engine by processing 1,056 material transfer agreements and reviewing 208 industry-sponsored research agreements in partnership with Sponsored Programs Administration and VUMC's Office of Contract Management-reflecting the steady, behind-the-scenes work that keeps research materials and collaborations flowing between Vanderbilt and external partners.
Why partnerships matter
Strong industry relationships help research move closer to serving society, and in FY26, CTTC's Industry Collaborations team played a central role in building those connections. The team helped Vanderbilt investigators submit 95 research proposals to industry partners, representing more than $48 million in potential funding across a wide range of fields.
Like disclosures, many of those partnerships begin with a conversation about an idea's potential. From there, the conversations often grow into sponsored research that creates opportunities for faculty and trainees alike.
"The Industry Collaborations team is mission-critical for expanding and diversifying Vanderbilt's research funding sources," CTTC Director Alan Bentley said. "Developing durable collaborations with industry partners requires strategic positioning and a substantial investment of time and energy, but every time a faculty member collaborates with an industry counterpart, both are enriched by the experience."
Startups as a strategic priority
The spirit of innovation continues to fuel a growing wave of Vanderbilt-related startups. CTTC helped launch 15 companies built on Vanderbilt technologies in FY26, a robust year of new venture creation that was accompanied by an even more telling indicator of what's ahead: There are more than 50 potential ventures moving through various stages of the pre-launch pipeline.
CTTC's New Ventures team guides prospective founders through the earliest-and often most daunting-stages of entrepreneurship. The team assists with market analysis, business planning and company formation, while connecting founders with advisers, talent and early funding partners. The depth of the pipeline points to an entrepreneurial ecosystem that is active today and built to keep growing.
People remain at the center
While the records set in FY26 are notable, the story of CTTC is ultimately about people. Each disclosure is a researcher taking a step toward impact. Each licensing agreement is collaboration built on trust. Each startup is a team willing to take a risk on an idea that has the potential to help others. Each first-time submitter joins a growing community that is imagining how their work can reach people beyond campus.
CTTC welcomes conversations with faculty and researchers at any stage of an idea. Whether you're considering filing a disclosure, exploring intellectual property protection and commercialization, interested in a corporate collaboration, or weighing whether a startup is right for you, the team offers personalized support tailored to your goals and your research.
