The university has received a 2025 Higher Education Impact Award from Angeles Investors of Chicago. The award recognizes PNW’s support of entrepreneurial innovators and startup ecosystems. The Office of Commercialization and Research and the Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center supports startups by helping to incubate innovative ideas for commercialization and host workspace and training to grow Northwest Indiana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. PNW’s CMEC has helped to advise and position innovators to launch a variety of different ventures. To date, CMEC staff members have helped secure 26 Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) agreements, nine full utility patents and the filing of 39 provisional patents. Angeles Investors recognized PNW among just over 50 other higher education institutions from across the U.S.
