Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Building on our deep expertise and scholarly contributions in social and for-profit entrepreneurship, Drexel is dedicated to the translation of new knowledge generated by Drexel faculty, students, and staff into practical use.
Opportunities to Learn
Drexel offers innovation and entrepreneurship learning, resources, and supports tailored for undergraduates, graduates, postdocs, faculty, alumni, and the community. Our University provides a welcoming and inclusive environment for all of our students, who represent a multitude of countries and backgrounds from around the world. Each brings their unique perspectives into the classroom and all aspects of Drexel, enhancing the learning environment for fellow students, as well as our faculty and staff. Some come to Drexel with companies of their own, others create startups while in school, and many proceed to run businesses after graduation.
Under the guidance of the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship and their dedicated team of knowledgeable industry experts, our Entrepreneurship Co-ops encourage that drive to take the lead in entrepreneurial efforts. As a part of Drexel's cooperative education, any Drexel student can take part in an entrepreneurship co-op. These are granted to students who have established an ongoing business. Entrepreneurship co-op students receive $19,000 in funding, mentorships, and a dedicated workspace. Many students pursue entrepreneurial jobs closely related to their co-op after graduation.
On campus, students can visit the Baiada Institute for Entrepreneurship, an incubation space for student companies; the Innovation Center (ic@3401), a collaborative workspace for entrepreneurs; the ExCITe Center, an innovative incubator that supports research, education, civic engagement, and entrepreneurship; and the APP Lab, a resource for those interested in mobile app development.
Here are just some of the entrepreneurship and innovation resources available at Drexel:
- Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship
- Baiada Institute for Entrepreneurship
- StartupTree
- ExCITe Center
- Startup Fest
- Innovation Center @3401 (ic@3401)
- APP Lab
- Drexel Applied Innovation
- Coulter-Drexel Translational Research Partnership Program
Many courses we offer also reinforce our commitment to diversity and encourage the development of a worldwide perspective. Many of these diverse and multicultural courses allow students to gain enhanced awareness regarding diversity, equity, and social justice issues while sparking new ideas to meet pressing societal challenges.
Students from any of our programs are invited — and encouraged — to take courses in entrepreneurship and embrace their own innovative spirit.
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 the companies, entrepreneurs, and investors.
Patents & 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.
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.