Every university produces ideas. Fewer have the structure to move those ideas beyond the lab. That is the role of a research foundation.
The NSU Research & Innovation Foundation (NSURIF) is a nonprofit organization affiliated with Norfolk State University. Its purpose is to support the research enterprise at NSU by handling the work that sits between a promising discovery and a lasting outcome.
What that work looks like
University research foundations typically take on several functions:
- – Managing sponsored research agreements with government agencies, companies, and other institutions
- – Protecting intellectual property created by faculty and students
- – Licensing technologies to companies that can bring them to market
- – Supporting startups built on university research
- – Building partnerships with industry and economic development organizations
Why a separate foundation
A foundation can move faster and operate more flexibly than a university administration alone. It can enter agreements, hold assets, and work directly with private partners while keeping its focus on the university’s mission.
What this means for Hampton Roads
Research that stays in a lab helps no one outside it. When NSU discoveries become licensed products, new companies, or industry partnerships, the benefit reaches the regional economy through jobs, investment, and talent that stays local.
To learn more or explore a partnership, contact us