MADISON, Wis. – As the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation marks its centennial, a new chapter in international scientific collaboration is unfolding—one that exemplifies the spirit of innovation and public service that has defined WARF since its founding.
In an essay titled Science Without Borders: How Wisconsin and Stellenbosch Are Redefining Collaboration, Professors Brian Fox (UW-Madison) and Tulio de Oliveira (Stellenbosch University, South Africa) spotlight a growing partnership that is transforming how science is conducted across continents.
What began as a graduate internship in Cape Town has evolved into a dynamic alliance between UW-Madison and Stellenbosch University. This partnership spans disciplines, from biochemistry and bioinformatics to vaccine design and sustainable materials, and reflects a shared commitment to advancing discovery, education and innovation for global benefit.
“WARF was founded to ensure that university research helps solves the world’s problems,” says Erik Iverson, WARF’s CEO. “This collaboration with Stellenbosch is a powerful extension of that mission, showing how global partnerships can accelerate impact.”
The initiative connects faculty, students and innovation ecosystems in both countries. Joint mentorship programs, faculty exchanges and shared research projects are creating a two-way bridge for talent and ideas. WARF’s expertise in commercialization complements Stellenbosch’s LaunchLab, which supports African startups and entrepreneurs.
The Africa STARS program introduces emerging innovators to real-world technologies and challenges them to adapt these tools for African markets. The goal is not to export solutions, but to co-create them, ensuring relevance and sustainability.
“This is about more than research,” says Prof. Fox. “It’s about training the next generation of scientists to think globally, act collaboratively and innovate with purpose.”
As WARF looks to the future, this partnership exemplifies the enduring power of the Wisconsin Idea, extending the benefits of university research far beyond campus.
Additional essays from various thought leaders, each offering unique perspectives on the impact of university research on global challenges, are available at warf.org/WisconsinIngenuity. These essays highlight the importance of long-term investments in university innovation and the transformative potential of academic-industry partnerships.
About WARF
Celebrating a century of service in 2025, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) patents and licenses discoveries from UW-Madison research, manages an investment portfolio generated from licensing and investment proceeds, and provides annual grants to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Morgridge Institute for Research to support further scientific investigation and research. By driving collaborations among researchers, investors, industry and entrepreneurs, WARF commercializes innovations from campus through various initiatives. WARF Accelerator improves the commercialization potential of university intellectual property through industry engagement and investment in proof-of-concept milestones to validate market potential, demonstrate commercial value and de-risk technology. WARF Therapeutics partners with UW-Madison and Morgridge Institute researchers employing an industry-focused approach to improve the value propositions of drug candidates. WARF Ventures is an early-stage venture fund that invests in startups based on UW/WARF technologies. Learn more at warf.org.
