When universities license their technology to start-ups, the university frequently receives equity and preemptive rights, which is the right to participate in the future financing rounds of a start-up. Historically universities rarely exercised their preemptive rights or otherwise invested in the institutional financing rounds of their own companies. OUP and its partner universities have created a fund to exercise each university's preemptive rights, and if there are no preemptive rights to participate as a co-investor on behalf of the university. Osage and its partner universities share in the profit of the fund, so each university has an incentive to help increase the equity value of its start-ups.

OUP invests broadly across all sectors of university commercialization, including life sciences, physical sciences, and information technology. Osage invests broadly across stage, from seed to late stage opportunities. Its primary focus is investing in the venture capital rounds of its university partners' start-ups alongside new lead investors.

OUP's investment process differs from that of most venture firms. By virtue of its university partnerships, OUP focuses primarily on the start-ups from its university partners, and it does not actively review non-university investment opportunities. OUP develops close working relationships with each university's start-ups prior to their fundraising and tracks each company's progress over time. OUP can assist these start-ups prior to an investment by providing fundraising guidance, introductions, or other assistance Once an investment opportunity arises, OUP already knows the company and management well and can make a fast, informed investment decision.