The funding will support the Entrepreneurship, Commercialization and Innovation Academy (ECIA), which will be run through the Roberts Impact Lab.
Purdue University Northwest has received a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency to support the implementation of the Entrepreneurship, Commercialization and Innovation Academy (ECIA) within the university’s Roberts Impact Lab. The first cohort of the ECIA will commence in the Spring 2027 semester.
According to an article on Purdue University Northwest’s website, Chancellor Kenneth C. Holford was quoted as saying of the grant funding, “The Roberts Impact Lab at Purdue University Northwest will serve as a major hub in Northwest Indiana where scientific discovery and technological advancement cultivate innovative solutions that propel regional growth. Earning this major $2 million federal funding award reinforces the quality and impact that PNW’s transformational research and outreach provide for our community partners.”
The ECIA is an economic development initiative that will provide college students, professional innovators, and small business owners with mentorship from entrepreneurial experts who will assist with developing ideas into viable plans that will make an economic impact on the region. Participants will take part in 16-week cohorts that will take them through the concepts of customer discovery, market validation, competitive analysis, intellectual property, funding readiness, technology adoption, and strategic planning. The first cohort is expected to begin in the spring of 2027.
Thomas L. Keon, who is the Chancellor Emeritus and a professor of Managerial Studies, said, “This grant will enable Purdue University Northwest to expand the number of entrepreneurs and support the development of new business ventures throughout Northwest Indiana. By leveraging partnerships with industry and PNW’s established entrepreneurship and commercialization ecosystem, the program will strengthen entrepreneurial capacity, accelerate the commercialization of innovative products and services and contribute to the long-term economic vitality of Northwest Indiana.”
Keon will be working alongside Niaz Latif, who is the associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and the executive director of the PNW Roberts Impact Lab and Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center, as a project leader for the ECIA.
Latif said, “PNW will leverage its institutional capacity and regional partnerships to expand entrepreneurial pathways and promote economic prosperity for underserved communities.”
The Roberts Impact Lab, which is located in downtown Hammond, Indiana, is currently undergoing renovations. When completed, the Lab is expected to serve as a hub for innovation within the city’s larger innovation district. The goal of the Roberts Impact Lab is to create new opportunities for economic and workforce development for Northwest Indiana.
For more information about Purdue University Northwest, visit the school’s website.