Education

Mark Cuban Foundation: 2025 AI Bootcamps Launched

By Amit Chowdhry ● Yesterday at 9:19 PM

The Mark Cuban Foundation has announced an expansion of its free AI Bootcamps, bringing advanced artificial intelligence education to underserved high school students and educators in 29 U.S. cities this fall.

The University Of Chicago Collaborating With Alchemist For New Accelerator

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 23, 2025

Alchemist Accelerator, an enterprise-focused startup accelerator, has teamed up with the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to launch Alchemist Chicago. This new accelerator aims to bring scientific breakthroughs from the lab to market.

Upstate Medical University And Empire State Development Invests $4 Million In Biotech Ventures Fund

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 17, 2025

Upstate Medical University and Empire State Development (ESD) have announced an additional $4 million investment in Upstate Biotech Ventures (UBV), increasing the total fund to $10 million. UBV, managed by Excell Partners, was launched in July 2024 with an initial investment of $6 million from Upstate and ESD, aiming to support early-stage biotech and health tech companies in Upstate New York.

Carnegie Mellon University Highlights Energy Startups

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jul 15, 2025

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is known as a hub for energy innovation, with startups emerging from its research to address critical issues in the power grid, climate technology, and energy efficiency.

The University Of Chicago: $21 Million Gift Received To Merge Quantum With Biology

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 13, 2025

The University of Chicago has announced the launch of the Berggren Center for Quantum Biology and Medicine, which will combine quantum technology with biology to transform the future of medicine and patient care. Launched with a $21 million gift from philanthropist Thea Berggren, the Berggren Center will be co-directed by Prof. Greg Engel of the UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and the Department of Chemistry and Prof. Julian Solway of the Department of Medicine and founding director of the Institute for Translational Medicine.

George Mason University: Grand Challenge Initiative To Drive A Sustainable Future

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 12, 2025

George Mason University has recently announced the launch of its Grand Challenge Initiative, a comprehensive research framework backed by an initial five-year, $15 million investment. This initiative will align university resources, faculty expertise, and educational programs around six interconnected solution areas, addressing what George Mason President Gregory Washington described as "humanity's ultimate grand challenge": securing a peaceful, healthy, and prosperous future.

Ohio State University: AI Fluency Initiative Revealed

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jun 12, 2025

The Ohio State University has announced an ambitious new initiative to ensure that every student graduates with the AI proficiencies necessary to compete and lead now. Launching this fall for first-year students, Ohio State’s AI Fluency initiative will embed AI education into the core of every undergraduate curriculum, equipping students with the ability to not only use AI tools but also understand, question, and innovate with them, regardless of their major.

University Of Chicago: New Venture Challenge Features 10 Finalists Competing For Over $1 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 28, 2025

The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation announced that 10 teams have advanced to the finals of the 29th annual Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge (NVC), the University of Chicago’s signature startup accelerator for MBA students at the Booth School of Business.

Arm And SoftBank Contributing $15.5 Million To Advance AI With Carnegie Mellon And Keio

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 18, 2025

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), Arm, and SoftBank Group (SBG) announced that Arm and SBG will contribute $15.5 million to CMU to support its partnership with Keio University, a collaboration to accelerate the global advancement of AI.

Lilly To Expand Purdue University Collaboration With Up To $250 Million Investment

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 15, 2025

Eli Lilly and Company and Purdue University recently announced a significant expansion of their long-time alliance, with Lilly’s planned investment of up to $250 million in the collaboration over the next eight years. And this deal, which has the potential to be the largest ever industry-academic agreement of its kind in the US, will look to advance innovation in the pharmaceutical pipeline.

University Of Michigan Partners With Emeritus To Launch Chief Data And AI Officer Program

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 8, 2025

The Stephen M. Ross School of Business Executive Education and Michigan Engineering Professional Education, both at the University of Michigan, in collaboration with Emeritus, announced that they have launched the Chief Data and AI Officer (CDAIO) Program. This five-month multimodular program enables senior executives to develop AI-driven business strategies, enhance data governance, and lead digital transformation within their organizations. Enrollment is now open for the program starting on June 24, 2025.

UW-Madison Company Ubicept Raises $1 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 8, 2025

Ubicept—a company with technology developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology—has been selected as one of two winners in the inaugural TitletownTech Startup Draft. As a result, the company secured a $1 million investment from the Green Bay–based VC firm.

TAE Life Sciences And Ohio State University Sign Partnership For Advancing Boron Drug Innovation

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 7, 2025

TAE Life Sciences (TLS) has announced the signing of a Letter of Intent to collaborate with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) for developing and evaluating of novel boron-based drug compounds—an essential component of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT).

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: $10 Million Gift From Alumnus And Entrepreneur Ajit Prabhu

By Amit Chowdhry ● May 5, 2025

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) announced it has received a $10 million gift from Ajit Prabhu ’98, founder and CEO of Quest Global, to establish the Ajit Prabhu Catalyst Endowment and the Ajit Prabhu Catalyst Fund in support of the Office of Strategic Alliances and Translation (OSAT). Prabhu launched the fund to assist RPI students and faculty entrepreneurs.

Texas A&M International University: Advancing Online Criminal Justice Graduate Programs With Risepoint

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 29, 2025

Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) announced it is enhancing a commitment to accessible, high-quality education with the launch of three new online Master of Science in Criminal Justice programs in Homeland Security, Cybersecurity, and Criminal Justice Administration beginning in Fall 2025.

Iowa State University Collaborating With When To Help Graduates With Health Insurance

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 27, 2025

When a leading AI-based post-employment solution announced a strategic partnership with Iowa State University to provide students with post-graduation health insurance options along with job search and resume-building services. And this initiative makes Iowa State the first university in the nation to collaborate with When to offer seamless, cost-effective healthcare options for students transitioning off their student health plans.

Catapult Learning: John Hopkins Research Shows Benefits Of Wraparound Services

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 27, 2025

Catapult Learning, a leading provider of evidence-based academic, behavioral, and mental health interventions for K-12 schools, recently announced the findings from an ESSA Level 2 study, using data from the 2023-2024 school year, conducted by the Center for Research and Reform in Education (CRRE) at The Johns Hopkins University School of Education.

Princeton Startup Develops Technology To Boost Lithium Production

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 24, 2025

A new startup called Princeton Critical Minerals (formerly PureLi) has innovated a new approach for how the world extracts lithium and other materials, including nitrate and potash. These materials power clean energy technologies and support modern agriculture. The company emerged from the University’s ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship, and it has developed a technology for boosting minerals production from evaporation ponds. These ponds generate about 40% of the world’s lithium and most of its naturally occurring nitrate.

University Of Arizona Researchers Launch Startup For Treating Patients With Asthma And COPD

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 22, 2025

Tech Launch Arizona, which is the commercialization arm of the University of Arizona, announced the launch of Aspiro Therapeutics. This is a biotech startup advancing an innovative inhaled therapy for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) based on technology developed at and licensed from the university.

University Of Utah: $25 Million Gift Received From The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 21, 2025

The University of Utah announced a $25 million gift from The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation to establish the J.W. Marriott, Jr. Institute. This initiative will transform how students across disciplines develop leadership skills rooted in hospitality principles.

Leidos: $10 Million Partnership With The University Of Pittsburgh For AI-Based Disease Detection

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 20, 2025

Leidos announced it is committing $10 million to advance artificial intelligence for detecting and managing diseases, in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh's Computational Pathology and AI Center of Excellence (CPACE).

University Of Nebraska–Lincoln: New Venture Competition Awards Given To Student Startups

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 19, 2025

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln announced that 64 student teams recently competed for $82,500 in prizes during the 38th annual New Venture Competition. Hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship, this two-day business plan tournament featured undergraduate and graduate students from every college at the university, representing 38 majors.

Elm AI: Cornell University Spinout Raises $2 Million For Supply Chain Sustainability Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 16, 2025

Elm AI, a Cornell University spinout and an AI-based platform helping enterprises improve sustainability and operational performance across their supply chains, announced it has raised $2 million in an oversubscribed funding round. The funding round was led by Beta Boom Fund and Working Capital Fund, with participation from Boro Capital Partners, Very Serious Ventures, Gorges Ventures, The Bond Collective, and Textbook Ventures.

Penn State University: Student Startups Win Funding Prizes For Inc.U Competition

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 11, 2025

Penn State University revealed in a news release that Joy Tac (a student startup from Penn State Harrisburg) won first place and $15,000 in the 2025 Invent Penn State Inc.U Competition. And as a kickoff to Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC, six student teams from four Penn State campuses pitched their startups to a panel of judges, competing for $30,000 in total funding prizes.

University Of Calgary Spinout Quantized Technologies (QTi) Raising $4 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 10, 2025

University of Calgary alum Jordan Smith and his research-based startup Quantized Technologies Inc. (QTi) are looking to transform global internet communications by building the first commercial quantum repeater, an essential device for enabling the backbone of the future quantum internet. And QTi is currently raising $4 million in investment to advance these efforts, building on its existing success in developing advanced quantum encryption devices.

UNC Unveils AI-Based Accelerator In Collaboration With KPMG

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 8, 2025

Launch Chapel Hill recently announced it is joining forces with KPMG, a leader in professional services, to introduce Launch, Powered by KPMG, an AI-enabled accelerator program with Launch Chapel Hill that redefines how startups transition from ideation to commercialization.

SchoolAI: $25 Million (Series A) Raised For Helping Teachers And Schools With AI Platform

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 7, 2025

SchoolAI, an AI platform for teaching and learning, announced it has closed $25 million in Series A funding to address education’s fundamental challenge: helping teachers provide personalized attention to every student.

Northwestern University Innovates Carbon-Negative Material For Making Concrete And Cement More Sustainable

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 7, 2025

Northwestern University scientists have developed a new carbon-negative building material using seawater, electricity, and carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide). As Earth’s climate continues to warm, researchers around the globe are exploring ways to capture carbon dioxide from the air and store it deep underground. While this approach has multiple climate benefits, it does not maximize the value of the enormous amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Verecan: Research Chair Funded For Dr. Lisa Kramer Of The University Of Toronto To Support Financial Education

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 7, 2025

Verecan Group of Companies, a comprehensive wealth management group, announced it has funded a research chair for Dr. Lisa Kramer, Professor of Finance at the University of Toronto (UofT). And as a part of the initiative, Dr. Kramer has been appointed the Verecan Chair in Behavioural Finance.

VCU Startup Wins Grant For Infection-Fighting Surgical Gel

By Amit Chowdhry ● Apr 3, 2025

A Virginia Commonwealth University startup with an innovation that could enhance brain and spinal surgeries received a $800,000 state grant to support the development of its infection-fighting gel. Pascal Medical is one of four grant recipients to receive awards from Virginia Catalyst, a nonprofit created by the General Assembly and funded via the state’s general fund and seven public research universities, including VCU. Catalyst CEO Mike Grisham said the nonprofit's goal is to provide funding that helps industry partners and academic investigators raise follow-on investments.