Advanced research universities and medical institutions

Anchor institutions receive significant research funding from the government on an annual basis, including highly competitive grants. This makes them the natural research engines of their regions.

Many anchor institutions undertake applied research, which focuses on solving problems. Applied sciences include all types of engineering, clinical medicine, and computer science disciplines, and disciplines that deal with business, law, or public policy.

Specific institutions carry out translational research, which aims to develop a practical application of a discovery into a new technology—a product or service or something of deemed value. This research can have monetary value. Given this, institutions protect their intellectual property and execute agreements such as licensing and partnership contracts to transfer knowledge to companies.

Anchor organizations are known to create spinoffs from institution research. While institution policies define rules on how this is undertaken, spinoffs are a powerful way that institutions help commercialize the research that has taken place.

Anchor institutions often connect and share knowledge with private firms. Companies make conscious decisions to locate near research institutions to strengthen how they obtain—formally and informally—new insights to drive products and services to market.

Anchor institutions both develop and cultivate high quality talent. With countries, regions, cities, and companies of all sizes racing to attract the best talent, anchor institutions become invaluable to cities and regions—and also to innovation districts.