About
Accelerator - Purdue Innovates is a three-month, investment-based startup program headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, designed to empower founders to commercialize bold innovations into disruptive market solutions. The program provides tailored strategic support alongside access to a network of world-class mentors, corporate partners, investors, and alumni from the Purdue ecosystem. Participants receive guidance on reaching key business milestones and scaling their ventures, with flexibility to work remotely while meeting specific program events and milestones throughout the cohort cycle. The accelerator is part of Purdue Innovates, a broader innovation infrastructure that supports venture-scale companies connected to Purdue University research and entrepreneurial talent. The organization has demonstrated success in establishing companies based on Purdue research and intellectual property, including notable portfolio companies such as Aerovy Mobility, an advanced air mobility software provider that completed an $800,000 pre-seed funding round, and Emboa Medical, which won first place in the Purdue Innovates Incubator New Venture Challenge for developing a blood clot extraction device. The accelerator operates within a larger Purdue innovation ecosystem that includes related programs such as Purdue Ag-Celerator, a $2 million plant sciences innovation fund, and is supported by venture capital infrastructure including Purdue Ventures, founded in 2014, and the Purdue Startup Fund. The program targets early-stage companies with technology-driven innovation potential, particularly those leveraging Purdue research, intellectual property, and university resources.