Guiding Innovation. Fostering Partnerships.

Mission Statement

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Research Foundation (UWMRF) was formed to serve and support UWM faculty and student research through the fostering of corporate research partnerships; igniting UWM-founded startups through programs, funding, and education; and leveraging our intellectual property expertise to further support innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration with our community and worldwide.

Vision Statement

Attract funding and partners to advance, grow, and develop the innovation pipeline at UW-Milwaukee.

A Message from the UWMRF President

Dear Friends and Partners, 

At the UWM Research Foundation (UWMRF), our team is deeply passionate about serving the innovators of UW-Milwaukee. We constantly strive to enhance our current programs and create new avenues of support for our partners on campus. Our goal is to provide maximum value to our university, our state, and our partners across the globe. 

As a top-tier Research 1 (R1) institution, we are dedicated to fostering more collaborative research projects between companies and our talented researchers and students. These collaborations not only advance research but also allow companies to preview the talent pipeline and establish connections for future hires. Additionally, they offer students and trainees invaluable hands-on, real-world research experience. 

Our commitment extends to ensuring the success of our faculty, students, staff, partner companies, city, and state. Together, we can achieve remarkable outcomes and drive innovation forward.

Our key programs include:

Catalyst Grant: Provides funding to support promising early-stage research projects.

Bridge Grant: Offers financial support to UWMRF startups to bridge the gap common in early stages of product development.

ENGAGE Mentors: Connects experienced mentors with UWM innovators.

Panther Partnering for Industry: Fosters collaborations between UWM and industry partners by creating easy up-front options for IP licensing.

Express Licensing for UWMRF startups: Fair pre-negotiated license terms.

I-Corps Mini-Grants: Supports further advancement of product development for I-Corps participants in Milwaukee.

Intellectual Property Expertise: We offer comprehensive IP management and protection services to UWM inventors and creators, and consulting to all colleagues on campus.

SBIR/STTR commercialization grant counseling: We want to work with our UWM startups and external small businesses to help you obtain federal commercialization funding.

We are here to help you succeed and look forward to building partnerships that drive innovation and create new opportunities. Please do not hesitate to reach out to learn more about how we can help you! 

 Warm regards,
Jessica Silvaggi, Ph.D., C.L.P.
President