Research at Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Research expenditures at WPI surged to a record $79.2 million during the 2025 fiscal year, up 11% from the previous year, as students, faculty members, and staff pursued breakthroughs and launched innovative new approaches to critical problems.
Funding from external sources—including federal, state, and local government agencies, corporate, and nonprofit entities—totaled $52.2 million, which was a 16% increase over the previous year.
During FY2025, five companies were established to commercialize technology developed at WPI. The university also closed six agreements that licensed or optioned technology that was based upon research done in WPI labs.
Bogdan Vernescu
“WPI research continues to expand knowledge and push boundaries across disciplines,” says Bogdan Vernescu, vice president and vice provost for research and innovation. “Despite challenges involving changes to the federal funding landscape, WPI researchers pursued ambitious projects that align with national priorities, in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), and with the institution’s goal to best prepare students for careers.”
WPI’s research growth occurred as the university achieved the prestigious designation of an R1 institution by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The designation recognized WPI as one of the nation’s top research institutions. WPI also ranked 78th in the United States by the number of granted utility patents, as tracked by the National Academy of Inventors and based on data from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
WPI students, faculty, and staff focus on research across three broad areas: AI, data science, and robotics; advanced materials and manufacturing; and biotechnology and the life sciences.
Research expenditures go toward salaries and wages for researchers and students, and toward equipment, software, and other direct costs.
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