The BRIDGE-TECH (Building Relationships in Innovation and Development for Growth in Emerging Technologies) project brings together a cohort of five primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) committed to strengthening regional innovation ecosystems by removing barriers to research, workforce development, and technology commercialization. These institutions each serve regions with untapped economic and technological potential but face common challenges such as limited research infrastructure, fragmented partnerships, and underdeveloped support for technology transfer.
Through a coordinated, cohort-based approach, the project will empower faculty and communities by developing sustainable industry partnerships, supporting entrepreneurial programming, and expanding access to emerging technologies. Ultimately, BRIDGE-TECH seeks to build ecosystems where innovation thrives and contributes to long-term economic benefits. Technically, BRIDGE-TECH proposes a scalable model to increase innovation capacity at PUIs through strategic capacity-building and shared institutional development.
The project focuses on five interrelated goals:
increase industry-sponsored research,
enhance innovation culture and technology transfer,
develop design thinking and innovation accelerator,
drive and expand innovation in rapid manufacturing, and
create synergistic opportunities for academic research.
Each institution will implement customized, locally grounded activities, such as creating innovation centers, forming regional councils, conducting ecosystem assessments, and launching faculty fellows programs, while leveraging cohort-wide training workshops and shared resources. The anticipated outcomes include increased research funding, expanded partnerships with industry entities, improved IP and commercialization processes, and the training of over 40 faculty members. The collaboration ultimately aims to elevate the role of PUIs in national innovation networks while supporting sustainable economic development. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Wilkes University
Wilkes University is using its EPIIC BRIDGE-TECH award to strengthen industry-sponsored research and grow its capacity for technology transfer in northeastern Pennsylvania. The grant supports a campus innovation accelerator, a faculty fellows program, and deeper ties to manufacturing and emerging-technology employers across the Wyoming Valley, reinforcing Wilkes' contribution to the region's innovation ecosystem.
University of New Haven
The University of New Haven is using its EPIIC BRIDGE-TECH award to grow industry-sponsored research, build out a campus innovation accelerator, and strengthen technology transfer infrastructure in southern Connecticut. With its strengths in engineering, computer science, and applied STEM, New Haven is positioning itself for deeper partnerships with regional manufacturers and tech firms while training faculty fellows to lead future use-inspired research.
Pennsylvania State University
This EPIIC BRIDGE-TECH award supports Penn State Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania State University campus serving the state capital region. The campus is using the funding to expand industry-sponsored research, build a design thinking and innovation accelerator, and grow faculty engagement in rapid manufacturing and technology commercialization, strengthening Penn State Harrisburg's role as an emerging research institution in south-central Pennsylvania.
Widener University
Widener University is leveraging its EPIIC BRIDGE-TECH award to expand its capacity for industry-sponsored research and grow technology transfer activity across the Greater Philadelphia region. The university is investing in a campus innovation accelerator, a faculty fellows program, and stronger ecosystem connections with regional industry partners, helping Widener serve as a hub for rapid-manufacturing and use-inspired research collaboration.
Bradley University
Bradley University is leveraging its EPIIC BRIDGE-TECH award to expand industry-sponsored research and strengthen technology transfer across its engineering and business programs in central Illinois. The grant supports the launch of a campus innovation accelerator and faculty fellows program, deepening Bradley's partnerships with regional manufacturers and tech employers across the Peoria region.
