The Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
At Bellarmine, innovation means more than building something new. It also means solving real problems for the greater good.
The Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship animates that purpose, empowering students to turn ideas into creations — whether products, services, or organizations — with real-world impact.
Not just a space, but a system.
Every year, Bellarmine students set their minds to tackling meaningful challenges with apps, tools, and innovations. But too often, these efforts happen in isolation and stall from a lack of meaningful direction.
The Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship changes that. By unifying space, mentorship, and resources, the Institute becomes what we call “the incubator for incubators” — a central hub where ideas can grow into solutions that matter.
With the support to prototype and refine, students can move their work forward with intention.
This new program will:
- Connect students with experienced mentors and industry leaders
- Provide seed funding to support student-driven ventures
- Offer access to competitions, conferences, workshops, and real-world opportunities
- Create a centralized hub where innovative and entrepreneurial thinking across campus can grow and thrive
- Integrate existing campus resources — classes, speaker series, Maker Lab, and staff mentoring — to amplify their impact
- Build on a growing catalogue of classes and curricular experiences that meet students at their stage of entrepreneurial development
This is a level of mentorship and real-world opportunity that many students don’t encounter until college.
Ideation | Creation | Impact
Students in the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship will take projects through every phase of the innovation journey:
01. Ideate
In line with the school’s Jesuit tradition, it all starts with identifying real-world problems and ideating meaningful solutions through reflection.
02. Create
Students will build, test, and refine solutions through hands-on, project-based work supported by seed funding, a connected and experienced program leader, and existing tools across campus.
03. Impact
When their product, service, or initiative is ready to launch, students will be supported in entering pitch competitions or showcases that empower them to grow their concept beyond Bellarmine’s campus.
A Distinctly Bellarmine Approach
At the heart of the Institute is innovation in service of others—a core principle of Jesuit education. Grounded in the Catholic tradition and the call to be “men for and with others,” the Institute encourages students to use their talents not just to build, but to serve.
Students are challenged to pursue ideas rooted in compassion, guided by reflection, and oriented toward justice. The goal is to make a meaningful difference in their communities and beyond.
Case Studies
CueLens: Subtitles, but for Facial Expressions
Student: Pranay Dogra ’26
Focus Area: Accessibility & Social Technology
Cracked Labs: Reinventing Concrete with Biology
Students: Arnav Sinha ’26, Samuel Ma ’26, Paixuan Zhan ’27, Sharika Sinha
Focus Area: Sustainable Infrastructure & Materials Science
Founding Advisory Board Members
Adnan Iqbal '00
Co-founder & CEO, Healthcare Tech
Gene Cook
Builder & Advisor
Ross Fernandes
Tech Entrepreneur
Nafea Bshara
VP & Distinguished Engineer
Adam Clouse
CEO
Bryan Wiens '90
General Manager, Mercury Magnetics
Ajay Bolina
Principal
Jeff Cleland
Chairman and CEO
Help our students turn ideas into impact.
Bellarmine is raising funds to establish the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
This investment will fund:
- Access to experts, competitions, and real-world opportunities
- Annual seed funding for student ventures
- Dedicated staffing to guide and grow the program
Naming opportunities are available, as well as one-time and recurring gift options.
Join us in building the future of innovation at Bellarmine.
