University of Utah partners with Abundance Institute to boost innovation efforts

SALT LAKE CITY, March 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Utah has formed a groundbreaking alliance with the Abundance Institute, a nonprofit that is focused on tackling societal and policy barriers facing emerging technologies. The U announced its partnership with the Institute as part of increased efforts to amplify its societal impact, especially through research and innovation.

"Some of our greatest modern-day advancements originate in university classrooms and labs — especially at the U," President Taylor Randall said. "This partnership will provide an opportunity to walk the path from idea to creation in a more collaborative way, bringing along inventors, regulators, legislators, and investors."

Through this collaboration, the U and the institute will work with academic thought leaders, policymakers, and innovators to provide expert guidance on barriers that prevent new technologies from coming to market. They'll also share knowledge about the true risks and rewards of new technological and scientific advancements, starting with the focus areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and energy.

Under the affiliation agreement, the institute will have office space at the U and will officially be known as the "Abundance Institute at the University of Utah."

The U has a rich history of ushering new technology into the world with significant impact. In 1969, it was the fourth node — the first to be located outside of California — on the ARPANET, a Department of Defense project that later evolved into the Internet. Later, the first permanent artificial heart was developed at the U and implanted in a patient. Over the years, many transformative companies have launched with connections to the U, including Blackrock Neurotech, the leader in brain-computer interface technology; Recursion, a $2 billion biotech company that uses AI to find treatments for rare diseases; Adobe, the foremost software company for digital content creation and publication; and Pixar, the award-winning and revolutionary computer animation studio.

The Abundance Institute, led by CEO Christopher Koopman, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) that is dedicated to creating an environment for emerging technologies to grow, develop, and thrive long before they capture the public's attention.

Their work spans various areas, including energy, artificial intelligence, healthcare, and infrastructure. The Abundance Institute collaborates with experts—ranging from technologists to policy researchers—to influence regulations and public perception in ways that support technological breakthroughs.

"I am excited about this partnership," Koopman said. "This is not just about how the U can drive the economy of Utah forward, but how does the U shape national conversations about the future."

More information about the U's partnership with the Institute can be found here.

SOURCE University of Utah