[angryprofessor]

What companies get is a good chunk of the infrastructure is funded by the public.

Most labs get big chunks of money from the government, which funds basic research. As a result of this funding, the lab exists and people are trained in the basic science. Turning an already existing lab towards stuff useful for the company is much easier than building one from scratch.

Since much of that basic research money is funneled into universities, corporations have to go to universities to get the benefits.