UW Faculty and Staff Resources

Support for industry partnerships

OBE helps UW–Madison faculty and staff build productive, strategic industry partnerships. Use the resources below to prepare for outreach, find collaborators, and navigate common partnership questions.

Request OBE Support

Start here

EARLy stage Support

I’m currently exploring an industry partnership

We can help you think through fit, scope, and next steps, including options like research collaboration, direct funding, mentorship, equipment donations, and more.

Request support

NETWORKing

I need help finding the right collaborator

Use the tools below to identify alumni connections, campus collaborators, and applied research opportunities, or ask OBE to help make introductions.

Find tools and platforms

implementation

I need guidance on agreements, IP, or sponsored research

We can help you understand common pathways and connect you to the right resources, including WARF support where appropriate.

Join the Industry Engagement Collective

The Industry Engagement Collective is a Community of Practice hosted by OBE for UW–Madison faculty, staff, and affiliates who pursue or support university-industry partnerships. The IEC meets monthly and offers educational and networking opportunities.

Find out more and join the Community of Practice

Self-service tools

Self-service tools can help you find connections, identify opportunities, and prepare for industry conversations. Use the resources below to explore alumni and organizational networks, surface potential collaborators, and scan for external partnership leads.

Two alumni are sitting at a wooden table outdoors and having a conversation.

Steppingblocks

DAPIR (Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research) provides access to tools such as Steppingblocks that help you find alumni at a variety of organizations.

RABBIT

Explore UW–Madison research activity and potential collaborators using an AI-powered tool designed to support applied research matching.

A panel of seven people sit on chairs on a stage. One of them speaks into a microphone. UW branding is visible on a banner and on a table.

Resources for faculty and staff new to industry partnerships

Use this OBE resource packet to sharpen your messaging, prepare for meetings, and clearly communicate your research or project needs.

Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub

Looking for resources or funding for entrepreneurs? Check out the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub.

Funding opportunities

Explore funding opportunities that can help connect your projects with the resources they need to move forward.

HALO

HALO connects academic researchers with industry‑sponsored research and funding opportunities. Proposals are brief, non-confidential, and easy to submit directly through the platform.

Pivot-RP

Pivot-RP is a UW–Madison platform for researchers and administrators looking for new funding opportunities and potential collaborators.

Helpful links

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UIDP: The University Industry Demonstration Partnership (UIDP). UW-Madison has an institutional membership for UIDP. You can register for a free account using your wisc.edu email address to review resources and sign up for events.

NACRO: The Network of Academic Corporate Relations Officers (NACRO). Membership fees are required to join this association.

Looking for information about innovation disclosures, IP, or technology transfer? Contact our colleagues at WARF.

Badger IP Industry Advantage: UW–Madison’s tiered options for Intellectual Property (IP) licensing.

Are you working with a company and need official forms for agreements? Check out existing resources here: Research and Sponsored Programs. Common forms include the Confidential Disclosure Agreement, Funded Standard Research Agreement – Detailed IP (Note: depending on the project, a simple IP agreement may be possible), Material Transfer Agreement – Simple, and Services Agreement.