Entrepreneurship
An emphasis on entrepreneurship and research, coupled with the startup culture of the state, provides students with the ability to make their mark.
A Hotbed for Entrepreneurship
Massachusetts is a hotbed of entrepreneurial activity, from high-growth tech and life sciences to small businesses and student-run enterprises. In 2020, the Milken Institute rated Massachusetts number one in its State Technology and Science Index. The rating is based on a state’s science and technology capabilities and innovation commercialization that contribute to high-skills job creation and broad economic growth.
Massachusetts continues to be a hub for entrepreneurship and innovation, with 135 Massachusetts based companies named to Inc. magazine’s 2025 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country.
Massachusetts continues to rank among the nation’s top states for business and economic strength, ranking No. 3 in Business Environment, No. 8 in Economy, and No. 11 overall in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best States rankings.
Supporting Innovation
UMass supports innovation and entrepreneurship through a research-focused curriculum, commercialization of inventions, and Core Research Facilities located throughout the state.
From high-quality research projects being conducted every day on each campus, to the efficient process that allows those discoveries to be shared with the world through commercialization, UMass continues to fuel an innovation economy in Massachusetts.
Commercializing Discovery
The university’s Office of Technology Commercialization and Ventures (OTCV) is largely responsible for managing this commercialization of UMass research. Making its discoveries public helps maintain Massachusetts’ position as a leading developer of cutting-edge technologies. To help share UMass research with the world, OTCV forms new companies, creates licensing agreements with existing companies and makes strategic investments in technologies and companies.
In 2025, UMass ranked 26th globally in the Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S Patents. Faculty and researchers at UMass were awarded 84 patents, placing third in New England.