A critical component of OU’s innovation ecosystem is our relationship with external economic development stakeholders. These partners, including the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, i2E, and private industry and investors, engage throughout the research and commercialization process to support emerging OU technology through the contribution of insight and expertise, funding, student internships, and more. Serving as a liaison between outside stakeholders and the university, the Office of Public/Private Partnership fosters these important connections to bring important resources to OU.

The university has also launched over 35 startups, which create jobs, enhance the local economy, and help advance the OU technologies they are based around. Recent commercial successes from these companies, including the Selexys Pharmaceuticals Corp. acquisition by Novartis and the Pure Protein research and license agreement with AbbVie, have expanded opportunities for support to campus inventors, as well as enhanced opportunities for commercialization.