Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Programs
Program type: Inspire
Tinkerbox
WPI Tinkerbox provides funding and mentoring for WPI student-initiated innovation and entrepreneurship ideas. Grant recipients have access to accomplished entrepreneurial mentors who provide guidance on projects, workshops aimed at developing and honing entrepreneurial mindset skills, and invitations to community networking events.
Program type: Build
WPI’s Experts in Residence program connects aspiring entrepreneurs with accomplished and recognized mentors who are committed to offering guidance and sharing their expertise.
Program Type: Elevate
One of the cornerstones of the innovation ecosystem at WPI is the Tech Advisors Network (TAN), essentially a virtual incubator that launched in 2012. The Tech Advisors Network has engaged with entrepreneurs on various new products, such as a smartphone application that prevents texting and driving, an online educational tool for middle school science, and a video monitoring system.
Programs Overview
Our I&E programs are intentionally developed to inspire nnovation that will lead into building foundational skills for our students to help elevate their ideas to solve real world problems.
Makerspace and Prototyping Lab Give Community Room to Create
Open to anyone in any area of study at WPI, the McDonough Makerspace and adjacent Fitzgerald Prototype Lab are available to the entire campus community. They are places to germinate ideas, test limits, refine details, and have fun.
Interested in building a new product or have an idea for an innovative technology?
Our MakerBucks program helps students to 'Go and Try' their hands at a prototyping machine in our Innovation Studio Makerspace to build hardware and software prototypes. Students are given $100 to purchase project supplies and taught how to use our machines including the 3D printers and laser cutters in our prototyping lab as well as utilizing resources and tools to bring their ideas to life.
For questions and inquiries about the program, please contact Mitra Anand at mvanand@wpi.edu
Student Impact
Student Project: Trash into Treasure
Henrique Checcucci ’24, Sol Giesso ’24, Can Guven ’24, and Efthymios Loukedes ’24 work to reduce waste on campus.
Student Success Story
Jeremy Trilling '22
Trilling has the kind of imagination that’s exciting and a little mind-boggling—one that envisions a future where the jet stream moves packages, and people, around the world.
Impact from WPI Tinkerbox Program Felt Across the Globe
WPI’s Tikerbox program positively impacts Tanzanian citizens through the work of graduate alumnus Raymond Magambo ’21.
