Accelerating innovation
Mayo Clinic has developed various funding programs to address development gaps and move promising technologies from early-stage concepts towards clinical testing and commercialization. By developing and de-risking technologies, we positively impact patient care and increase the chances of significant financial return to put back into Mayo Clinic’s advancements in pioneering diagnostics, treatments, procedures and cures.
The investment committee review process is rigorous and highly selective, but these seed and venture programs can help to advance promising Mayo Clinic ideas and discoveries into therapies and products, as well as to support early-stage companies collaborating with Mayo Clinic to expand, accelerate, or improve the solutions being developed.
Current funding programs include:
Ventures Innovation Program
- Funds milestone-based technology development to enhance commercialization/translational potential with a focus on promising early-stage technologies
- Can be applied to advancing non-Mayo Clinic technologies when partnered with Mayo Clinic expertise and know-how. Funds treated as an equity investment similar to angel investors.
- Awards can be up to $200k but 10-year average is $97k/award
2030 Fund
- Formerly known as the Benefactor Innovation Program
- Bridges the gap between discovery and clinical validation by establishing capital and human resources dedicated to advancing technologies through first-in-human studies
- Treated as an angel investment when used to support projects with external companies that include Mayo Clinic intellectual property and/or expertise and know-how
- Technologies selected will have high potential to become products and services that will broadly impact health care and provide a financial return to support Mayo Clinic’s mission
Venture Co-investment Fund
- $250M fund focused on venture capital and growth equity opportunities, offered in partnership with Mayo Clinic Treasury Services
- Invests in companies that include Mayo Clinic technology or expertise
- License of Mayo Clinic-created technology or know-how
- Substantive collaboration with Mayo Clinic
- Co-invests with leading health care venture capital or private equity firms
- Up to $5M venture or $20M growth capital total investment per company
PROGRAM | CRITERIA | AMOUNT | EXTERNAL | INTERNAL |
Ventures Innovation Program | Mayo Clinic technologies or companies that include Mayo Clinic technology or expertise* | Up to $200k |  | |
2030 Fund | Mayo Clinic technologies or companies that include Mayo Clinic technology or expertise* | Up to $2M | | |
Venture | Companies that include Mayo Clinic technology or expertise* and have a leading healthcare venture capital or PE firm | Up to $5M venture or $20M growth capital total investment per company | |  |
* Expertise denotes Mayo Clinic know-how or intellectual property
Discover resources for Minnesota start-ups and small businesses here.