Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Philadelphia is a nexus of upcoming entrepreneurs, and Drexel University’s dedication to practical use of new knowledge is a huge reason why. Our foundation of scholarly contributions with faculty, staff, and student expertise helps transform the next big idea into the next big reality for social and for-profit entrepreneurship, with the resources of a major city in our backyard.

Two people passing bins of food to two others

As an undergraduate student in Drexel University’s Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship, Evan Ehlers founded Sharing Excess, a now-national nonprofit dedicated to fighting food insecurity and improving the lives of at-risk community members across the country. This is a University providing students with real-world experiences that matter.

The Baiada Institute is housed in the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship, and is the start-up incubator that provides the resources and space to allow students like you to start a company. Take the virtual tour now to hear from some of the students who’ve done just that!

Opportunities to Learn

The entrepreneurial spirit is embraced throughout the University and is woven into the curriculum of courses across all disciplines. Under the guidance of the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship and their dedicated team of knowledgeable industry experts, our Entrepreneurship Co-op opportunities encourage students to take that drive even further as they gain valuable work experience in established companies and startups and even in launching their own ventures. Those starting or building their own company can be selected to receive a $19,000 scholarship, mentorships, and a dedicated workspace to see their idea come to life. Many students are inspired to pursue entrepreneurship-related careers closely related to their co-op after graduation, bolstered by Drexel's emphasis on the following:

Mindset

Entrepreneurship is part of the Drexel lifestyle, and the proof is in the fact that the Close School is the first independent school of entrepreneurship to offer degrees in the United States. You’ll learn from the best of the best here — not only from our incredible faculty and professional staff but through our wide-reaching company partnerships throughout Philadelphia and beyond — and develop the skills, confidence, resilience, and ethical empathy that will position you to succeed throughout your career. Plus, our three-, four-, and five-year programs provide a customized fit for any academic timeline.

Personas

Drexel students come together to develop their personal entrepreneurial style while collaborating with others — whether it be as a Seeker, Creator, Impacter, Builder, Family, or Careerist — allowing them to more effectively learn and contribute in an environment of idea-sharing and development.

Sustainability and Impact

In a changing world, entrepreneurship has changed as well. Many Dragons are interested in ensuring their companies can be a force for good, and Drexel supports this in several ways— not only through the affiliations and partnerships we help make, but our Environmental Collaboratory seeks to co-fund, co-design, and co-implement solutions that drive systemic change as related to the climate justice needs of our communities and the developing climate emergency.

There's also the Charles D. Close School's B.S. in Sustainability and Innovation, designed for individuals who are passionate about making the world a better place. Students who are interested in using entrepreneurship and innovation to create impactful solutions to society’s most pressing problems are encouraged to learn more about this unique undergraduate offering.

Innovation Ecosystem

The city of Philadelphia and our surrounding region is a growing hotbed of innovation, inspiring all within it to continue to push boundaries and test the limits of what we can achieve. Drexel has an incredible variety of assets to help you develop as an entrepreneur, including Startup Fest, our APP Lab for those interested in mobile app development; the Innovation Center (ic@3401), where you can collaborate with other dragons and more; and the ExCITe Center, where incubation is focused on supporting research, education, and civic engagement.

Here are just some of the entrepreneurship and innovation resources available at Drexel:

Students from any of our programs are invited — and encouraged — to take courses in entrepreneurship and embrace their individual innovative spirit. At Drexel University, entrepreneurship can't wait.

Resources to Launch

Drexel Applied Innovation staff work with Drexel faculty and student researchers to identify new technologies that may have commercial potential, then work with intellectual property counsel to secure patent or copyright protection and negotiate license agreements with industry, investors, and entrepreneurs to bring those technologies to market.

Commercialization

Our Tech Commercialization team identifies technologies with commercial potential, develops strategies to secure them through intellectual property protection, and connects Drexel's innovators with like-minded companies, entrepreneurs, and investors.

Technology Transfer Process

Patents and Licenses

Our experienced team guides inventors through the patenting process with the goal of filing the best patent application possible while reducing paperwork for researchers. We have excellent industry contacts and years of experience negotiating contracts that work for both inventors and companies.

available technologies

Coulter-Drexel Translational Research Partnership

The annual grant sponsors collaborative translational research projects led by teams of biomedical engineers, clinical researchers, and other scientists and engineers.

Coulter-Drexel Translational Research Partnership