Our mission is to drive innovation forward through collaboration with UIC students, faculty, staff, and corporate partners to ignite student success and forward-thinking outcomes.
Our Mission
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For Students
Providing students experiential learning opportunities with corporate partners
We offer students the chance to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, gaining practical skills and insights that enhance their academic experience and future career prospects.
Through hands-on projects, internships, and research opportunities, students engage directly with corporate partners, gaining valuable industry exposure and networking connections. These experiential learning experiences enrich education and provide a competitive edge in the job market.
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For the University
Promoting cross-college engagements for students and faculty
By fostering connections between diverse academic disciplines, we create avenues for interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. Through joint initiatives and projects, colleges leverage their respective expertise and resources to address complex challenges from multiple perspectives. These partnerships not only enrich the academic experience for students but also drive innovation and advancement across various fields.
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For Partners
Providing easy access for corporate partners to the university and student talent
Our goal is to bridge the gap between academia and industry, facilitating connections and fostering mutually beneficial collaborations. Through streamlined processes and dedicated support, we ensure that corporate partners can easily engage with students, faculty, and resources to access top-tier talent, cutting-edge research, and innovative solutions.
By promoting open communication and establishing meaningful partnerships, we create opportunities for knowledge exchange, talent development, and impactful outcomes for all stakeholders involved.
Our Values
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Diverse
We understand the value that different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences bring to innovation.
By embracing an interdisciplinary environment where everyone feels empowered to share their ideas, we grow stronger as individuals and as a team, leading to better and more effective solutions.
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Human-Centered
Humans are at the core of innovation, and we believe that true innovation stems from understanding and empathizing with the needs, desires, pain points, and behaviors of people. By prioritizing that, we create solutions that are not only practical but also resonate with users on a personal level.
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Motivated
Our inspiration is knowing that our work is more than just an idea – it is applied and delivers real value. The drive to succeed is rooted in the impact we create and the solutions we shape.
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Adaptable
We embrace change in dynamic environments, continuously evolving our approaches to meet new challenges and seize opportunities.
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Voracious
We are constantly learning, and we learn by doing. Each time we set our sights on a new problem, we apply our knowledge, expertise, and open minds to new areas, ready to master them.
Our Approach
Our approach to innovation draws on academic research, market analysis, and user insights to anticipate emerging needs and deliver solutions that fit within business and operational realities. Trends, data, and expert perspectives are continuously synthesized to guide priorities and sharpen focus. This commitment to learning and critical thinking ensures that every effort remains grounded, relevant, and informed by a strong foundation of knowledge.
Learn more about the way we work
A Word from Peter Pfanner
A Word From Peter Pfanner
The Innovation Center at UIC is where interdisciplinary collaboration, hands-on education, and real-world impact converge. Since 2011, we create professional and educational experiences by connecting students and corporations to develop novel industry solutions through labs and classes. Breaking ground in summer 2025 on our new facility, we’re excited to expand our physical footprint and deepen our impact to ignite student success across campus and beyond.
Looking ahead, we’re focused on growing our corporate-sponsored labs, launching incubators for students and faculty, expanding curricular offerings, and building an external-facing consultancy to drive commercialization. We’re also committed to forging new partnerships across disciplines and sectors, bringing together diverse perspectives to solve meaningful problems.
The Innovation Center is more than a space—it’s a community built on collaboration, creativity, and the belief that education and innovation go hand in hand. Join us as we help shape UIC into Chicago’s leading public university for innovation.
Word from Peter
Peter Pfanner, Executive Director of the Innovation Center