MIT & Industry

Since its founding, MIT has fostered a culture of collaboration—bringing together researchers across disciplines and institutions to tackle complex challenges. This spirit of innovation has led to thousands of impactful partnerships with industry and other leading research organizations.

Companies collaborate with MIT faculty and students through programs such as the Industrial Liaison Program, the Institute’s main link to industry, and the MIT Startup Exchange, which fosters partnerships between MIT connected startups and global companies. These and many other initiatives create continuous opportunities for innovation and collaboration.

Research sponsored directly by industry totaled $176 million from over 400 organizations in fiscal year 2025, or about 20% of total MIT research expenditures. MIT is routinely cited by the National Science Foundation as one of the top universities for industry-funded research.

The Technology Licensing Office (TLO) collaborates with faculty, researchers, and entrepreneurs across MIT and industry to move breakthrough ideas into the world. Its mission advances MIT’s commitment to building a better world through education, research, and innovation. By protecting and commercializing transformative technologies in areas such as climate, manufacturing, healthcare, and secure communications, the TLO is integral to MIT’s commitment to impactful global change.

MIT’s strong corporate connection is also reflected in its extensive business-oriented curricula, such as the Leaders for Global Operations program, System Design and Management program, Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership, Supply Chain Management program, and other degree programs that offer an industry internship component.

MIT Sloan Executive Education offers custom programs for organizations, executive certificates, and more than 90 online and in-person short courses for individuals. Led by MIT Sloan faculty, executive programs provide business professionals with a targeted and flexible means to advance their career goals and position their organizations for growth.

MIT Professional Education provides technology and engineering education for working professionals across the globe pursuing career advancement and for organizations seeking to meet modern-day challenges. Our courses and professional certificate programs are offered in multiple languages, a range of formats, and through blended approaches to meet the needs of today’s learners.