Purdue innovators take the stage at the 2026 Startup and Technology Expo

April 29, 2026

The 2026 Purdue Innovates and Purdue Alumni Entrepreneurship Network Startup and Technology Expo highlighted and showcased Purdue’s finest innovators and entrepreneurs including students, faculty, staff, startups, and issued patent recipients.

The celebration of Purdue’s innovative spirit occurred over three days with sessions by and for entrepreneurs and innovators, pitches, and opportunities for networking.

Catch up on the 2026 highlights:

From innovation to impact:
A celebration of Purdue inventors

In 2025, Purdue University researchers received 172 patents, ranking 12th among universities worldwide and 7th in the U.S. This achievement marks 6 years running that Purdue has been in the top 10 in the U.S.

Their work represents the very best of Boilermaker ingenuity—transforming ideas into real-world solutions that improve lives and drive progress. Purdue Innovates supports their persistent pursuit of innovation and the advancement of Purdue’s legacy as a global leader in research and discovery.

Woman in a black dress giving a presentation at a podium with Purdue University branding, dark curtains behind her.

Audience at a conference, man with gray cap and glasses in foreground among seated attendees with badges

Older woman presents a plaque to a younger woman on a stage at Purdue University award ceremony

Man in a suit speaks at a Purdue University podium with hands open; a woman stands nearby as a screen on the left lists names.

Smiling man in a blue suit and purple tie stands beside Purdue's mascot in a modern office setting with a woman partially visible on the right.

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Honoring a legacy of lifelong collaboration

Purdue Innovates honored Dr. Philip Low, an extraordinary inventor who exemplified the very best of what research and commercialization stands for: intellectual rigor, generosity of spirit, and an unwavering commitment to translating ideas into real-world impact.

Joan Low, his wife, was gifted a memorial plaque in honor of his many years of service to Purdue and the world.

“Phil Low was an extraordinary inventor, but beyond his innumerable professional accomplishments he was also a trusted partner, mentor, friend, and golf buddy. I am so grateful for the legacy he leaves behind in the countless lives he touched from patients to students to collaborators to his friends and family. His impact will continue through the people he mentored and the ideas he helped bring to life.” – Brooke Beier, senior vice president of Purdue Innovates

Purdue launches National Academy of Inventors chapter

This year’s expo also marked the kickoff of the Purdue Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors. The chapter will celebrate and support the achievements of inventors at Purdue, recognizing those whose work has made a tangible impact through patented technologies and building a community that values the pursuit of solutions that benefit society.

Over 70 of the university’s most prolific faculty inventors, who, during their time at Purdue, have generated 10 or more issued U.S. patents or been named an NAI Fellow during their career, were inducted into the chapter.

The NAI Fellows Program celebrates academic inventors whose work spans multiple disciplines and exemplifies their collaboration, dedication and innovation to transform research into real-world commercial technologies that contribute to the betterment of society. In 2025, three Purdue faculty members were named as fellows: Stephan Biller, Luna Lu, and David Nolte.

The number of Purdue faculty inducted as NAI fellows is 26, including Purdue President Mung Chiang.

Boilermaker entrepreneurship takes center stage at Expo

Purdue Innovates and the Purdue Alumni Entrepreneurship Network highlighted the innovation in the university’s entrepreneurial ecosystem over the three-day event. Days two and three brought dynamic pitches from students, faculty, and Purdue-connected startups along with highly informative keynotes about a range of timely topics.

Woman in a light blue blouse speaks into a handheld microphone to an audience, gesturing with her free hand in a conference room.

Woman speaker stands at a podium with a microphone during a presentation, audience seated in a conference room.

Three men in business attire chat in a bright lobby; one with a backpack, another in a blue blazer holding a coffee cup, and a third facing away in a gray suit.

Three people seated in folding chairs, smiling and talking in a bright, informal meeting space.

Three professionals chatting at a conference or networking event with sponsor banners behind them (woman center, man with backpack left, man in dark jacket right).

Panel discussion with four men on a stage, one speaking into a handheld mic as others listen, conference banners in the background.

Panelists seated on stage during a Purdue startup expo, with a speaker at a podium on the left.

A man speaks at a podium labeled Purdue University as four panelists sit on stage behind him during a discussion event, with an audience in the foreground and a tall banner on the right reading EXPO26.

Female presenter on stage speaking into a handheld microphone with a Purdue Expo 26 banner in the background, audience in front. This is at Purdue University.

Three students stand together beside a large science poster in a bright lab, presenting a project titled 'Insulin Pen Needle Management'.

Five young presenters stand on a stage with Purdue banners, addressing an audience at a campus expo event.

Two men in business attire smile and chat at a networking event, with a woman in a white floral top seen from behind nearby.

Group of professionals chatting at a corporate event; sponsor sign with logos and white roses on table in foreground.

Speaker holding microphone addresses group in a conference room, presenting near a lectern labeled 'Spurgeon Club'

Nine adults stand together on a basketball court inside an arena, smiling for a group photo with empty bleachers in the background.

Group of people stand in a tunnel or backstage area overlooking a basketball court in a large arena, with a mural-covered wall on the left and empty bleachers in the background.

Man in a leather jacket and black cowboy hat speaks into a handheld microphone, likely at an event.

Three colleagues sit at a table in a bright indoor space, with the woman in the center smiling as the two men talk nearby.] ,

Group of professionals posing for a team photo indoors in business casual attire, in front of a pillar.

Male presenter in a gray suit holds a microphone, speaking at a podium in a conference room.

Two presenters stand at a podium labeled 'Spurgeon Club' addressing an audience in a modern space with a staircase behind them

Man in a suit delivering a speech at a podium in a club setting, with a 'SPURGEON CLUB' sign visible on the lectern

Group of professionals in a bright lobby, standing in a line with takeaway coffee cups.

Purdue student entrepreneurs receive $50,000 from Purdue Innovates Incubator

Four teams of Purdue University student entrepreneurs won a combined $50,000 from the Purdue Innovates Incubator during the finals of the 2026 New Venture Challenge. NVC prepares participants to craft their value proposition, develop a go-to-market strategy and build a finance model that investors will find compelling. Learn more about the winners:

First place and Crowd Favorite: echoSURE Inc., $22,500
Second place: VitaWave Tech Inc., $15,000
Third place: CalcGPT, $10,000
Best Pitch: Kova Group Inc., $2,500