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Funding and History

The Institute for Medical Innovation was established in December 2008 with an $8.1 million five-year seed grant by The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and an $8 million match from KU Endowment.

scientists in lab

Each year, IAMI supports millions of dollars of research for a healthier population and creates more than $1 billion dollars for the regional economy.

  • IAMI has invested more than $7.9 million in 48 drug, diagnostic, and medical device projects in partnership with research investigators across institutions and organizations. Seven projects receiving IAMI investment have been associated with royalty-bearing license agreements, with two technologies moving into Kansas-based startup companies led by former IAMI fellows and their faculty mentors.
  • epaned bottlesIAMI's first commercial product, Epaned TM, developed in partnership with Silvergate Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Children's Mercy Kansas City, was approved by the FDA and launched in 2013.
  • IAMI's collaborations with industry, academia, government and disease philanthropy partners have supported advancement of 10 promising cancer treatments to clinical proof-of-concept trials over the past 6 years.
  • IAMI has supported more than $73 million in new federal funding awarded to regional stakeholder institutions and researchers, and currently supports more than $50 million in ongoing research. 
  • IAMI actively partners with regional assets in contract drug development (more than 9,000 employees work for over 100 companies and contribute greater than $1 billion to the regional economy each year) to advance drug, diagnostic and medical device projects from the bench to bedside. 
Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation