Organization · Incubator
Purdue Innovates
Purdue Innovates is an incubator based in West Lafayette, Indiana, that supports innovators and entrepreneurs in technology commercialization, intellectual property protection, and startup creation. It primarily serves Purdue-connected individuals and aims to facilitate the development of Purdue University’s intellectual property.
Overview
What Purdue Innovates does
What Purdue Innovates is
Purdue Innovates is an incubator based in West Lafayette, Indiana, that supports innovators and entrepreneurs in technology commercialization, intellectual property protection, and startup creation. It primarily serves Purdue-connected individuals and aims to facilitate the development of Purdue University’s intellectual property.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports funder and program host and community and event host capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Incubator
- Founded
- Founded in 2016
- Approximate age
- About 10 years
- Structured capabilities
- Funder · Program host · Community · Event host
- Last reviewed
- March 27, 2026
What Incubator means
An incubator is a support environment for turning a nascent idea or early company into a startup that is more ready for customers, funding, or an accelerator.
Open the glossary entryOfficial channels
Find Purdue Innovates elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
Purdue Innovates as a funder
Investment thesis
Purdue Innovates supports innovators and entrepreneurs in technology commercialization and venture capital, focusing on Purdue-connected startups.
Focus narrative
Purdue Innovates invests in early-stage, Purdue-connected startups across various sectors, including agriculture, deep tech, digital tech, life sciences, and mobility. The organization provides resources and support for technology commercialization and aims to assist startups from pre-seed to Series A+ funding stages.
Value beyond capital
Purdue Innovates provides tailored strategic support, investment opportunities, and resources for technology commercialization to help startups succeed.
Terms and economics
- Typical check
- $100,000
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed · Series A · Series A+
- Regions
- United States
Availability
- Currently deploying
- Yes
Portfolio and track record
Portfolio context
Purdue Innovates Ventures manages a portfolio of companies that have collectively raised over $1.1 billion. Notable portfolio companies include Adipo Therapeutics, developing a technology platform for the transformation of subcutaneous fat; Aerovy, focused on charging and infrastructure management for electrified aerospace; and Akanocure Pharmaceuticals, specializing in small molecule synthesis platforms.
Capability profile
Purdue Innovates as a program host
Program thesis
Purdue Innovates supports innovators and entrepreneurs in technology commercialization, intellectual property protection, licensing, enterprise creation, and venture capital.
Focus narrative
Purdue Innovates invests in early-stage, Purdue-connected startups across sectors such as agriculture, deep tech, digital tech, life sciences, and mobility. The organization provides resources and support for technology commercialization, assisting startups from pre-seed to Series A+ funding stages.
Value and support
Purdue Innovates offers tailored strategic support, investment opportunities, and resources for technology commercialization to help startups succeed.
Terms and economics
- Indicative investment
- $100,000
Format and cadence
- Typical duration
- 12 weeks
Availability
- Application state
- Not published
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed · Series A · Series A+
- Regions
- United States
Alumni and track record
Alumni context
Notable portfolio companies include Adipo Therapeutics, which is developing a technology platform for the transformation of subcutaneous fat; Aerovy, focused on charging and infrastructure management for electrified aerospace; and Akanocure Pharmaceuticals, specializing in small molecule synthesis platforms.
Capability profile
Purdue Innovates as a community
Community overview
Purdue Innovates is an organization that supports innovators and entrepreneurs in technology commercialization, intellectual property protection, licensing, enterprise creation, and venture capital. It is based in West Lafayette, Indiana, and operates under the Purdue Research Foundation. The organization aims to facilitate the development and commercialization of Purdue University’s intellectual property.
Community focus
Purdue Innovates invests in early-stage, Purdue-connected startups across various sectors, including agriculture, deep tech, digital tech, life sciences, and mobility. The organization provides resources and support for technology commercialization and aims to assist startups from pre-seed to Series A+ funding stages.
Member value
Members benefit from tailored strategic support, investment opportunities, and access to workshops and competitions designed to enhance their startup's market readiness and commercialization potential.
Membership
- Pricing models
- fixed-tuition
Format and cadence
- Modality
- in-person
- Schedule
- cohort-based
- Commitment
- moderate
Availability
- Membership state
- Accepting
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Founders · Students
- Benefits
- mentorship, network-access, and grant-funding
- Program types
- incubator, accelerator, and community
- Selection criteria
- open and application
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed · Series A · Series A+
- Regions
- United States
Community activity
Events and activity
Purdue Innovates hosts several events, including the Startup and Technology Expo, an annual event showcasing Purdue’s innovators and entrepreneurs, Market Readiness Workshops aimed at helping startups define their products and customer propositions, and New Venture Challenge Workshops preparing student startups for market entry and fundraising.
Notable members
Notable portfolio companies include Adipo Therapeutics, Aerovy, and Akanocure Pharmaceuticals.
Capability profile
Purdue Innovates as an event host
Event focus
Purdue Innovates invests in early-stage, Purdue-connected startups across various sectors, including agriculture, deep tech, digital tech, life sciences, and mobility. The organization provides resources and support for technology commercialization and aims to assist startups from pre-seed to Series A+ funding stages.
Format narrative
Purdue Innovates offers several programs to support entrepreneurs, including a Commercialization Fellowship, Accelerator, Firestarter, Market Readiness workshops, New Venture Challenge, and Moonshot Pitch Challenge.
Participant value
Purdue Innovates aims to facilitate the development and commercialization of Purdue University’s intellectual property, providing tailored support and investment to help startups succeed.
Format and cadence
- Event types
- workshop and pitch-night
- Recurrence
- annual
- Modality
- in-person
- Startups can present
- Yes
Availability
- Registration state
- Accepting
- Next event location
- West Lafayette, IN
Audience and fit
- Selection criteria
- open
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed · Series A · Series A+
- Audience
- Founders · Students
- Regions
- United States
Speakers and past editions
Past editions
Purdue Innovates Ventures manages a portfolio of companies that have collectively raised over $1.1 billion, including notable companies like Adipo Therapeutics, Aerovy, and Akanocure Pharmaceuticals.
Common questions
What to know about Purdue Innovates
Upseed classifies Purdue Innovates under the Incubator organization type. Its current public profile includes funder, program host, community, and event host capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
March 27, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.