
Innovation Happens Where Talent and Opportunity Come Together
The Innovation Partners Institute looks for challenging community problems and then assembles an A-list of partners with the exact skills, experiences, and capabilities to collaboratively bring novel solutions forward. This requires Innovation Partners who lead projects, as well as Corporate Partners, University Partners, Community Partners, and Funding Partners who bring their expertise and practical experience to turn ideas into working applications.
Because of the institute’s virtual nature, Innovation Partners function as “innovators in network” as opposed to “entrepreneurs in residence.” In addition to what IPI provides, the Innovation Partners tap their own networks as they develop solutions, deepening the available talent pool.
Innovation Partners

David Broecker
Sound Digital Engagement
Broecker is an experienced business executive with a passion and track record for building organizations and creating value by advancing breakthrough innovation to the marketplace. He currently serves as the Chief Innovation and Collaboration Officer for the Purdue Research Foundation.

Sean Hendrix
Managing Director of the Indiana 5G Zone
Mr. Hendrix is a senior technology and management professional, specializing in new product introduction. With over 23 years of experience, he is a strong leader, successful in the start-up of new technical organizations with the purpose of engineering, developing, and launching new products for production.

Junaid Islam
Co-founder of XQ Message
Junaid Islam is a cybersecurity expert with 30 years of experience in secure communications. His background spans field operations to the design and development of protocols. Junaid’s technical contributions have been incorporated into a broad range of commercial and government networks.
Community Partners



Corporate Partners








Funding Partners
State of Indiana
Jay & Robyn Stead
Christian Kanady SMART Coalition
University Partners

Purdue Resources
Indiana Next Generation Manufacturing Competitiveness Center
Jan-Anders Mansson, Distinguished Professor of Materials & Chemical Engineering
Joint Transportation Research Program
Darcy Bullock, Lyles Family Professor of Civil Engineering
The Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security
Dongyan Xu, Samuel Conte Professor of Computer Science
Center for High-Performance Buildings
James Braun, Herrick Professor of Engineering
Scalable Manufacturing of Aware and Responsive Thin Films
Ali Shakouri, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Director of Birck Nanotechnology Center
The Data Mine: Integrative Data Science Initiative and Learning Communities
Mark Ward, Professor of Statistics, Associate Director of Actuarial Science
We’d love to hear from you.
Do you have an idea you’d like us to investigate?