De-risking innovations and startups

incubator

Boilermakers are never alone in their persistent pursuit. We’re here to help you turn small steps into giant leaps. Do you have an idea for the next game changing/life changing/market disrupting technology?

FIRESTARTER

Firestarter is a seven-week cohort-based program for founders looking to start a company in the next 3-9 months. 

market
readiness

A workshop series helping venture-backable startups figure out where they’re going and how in the next 6-12 months.

NEW VENTURE
CHALLENGE

Attention Purdue Students: Take your startup to the next level and compete for $50,000 in cash prizes this spring!

moonshot pitch
competition

Moonshot Pitch Challenge is an ideation-focused pitch challenge that asks students to think big.

Accelerator

Where innovation meets acceleration for high-growth startups across any industry.

summer sprint

An exclusive seven-week program for early-stage founders ready to launch the next great startup.

"Incubator makes it easier to build a solid foundation for your business."

Justin Renfrow

Director - Incubator

PRF Monthly Events

	January 2026
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
				1 PRF Holiday-Offices Closed PRF Holiday-Offices Closed January 1, 2026 – January 2, 2026 Purdue Winter Break. PRF and Purdue Offices Closed Add to Calendar •	2 PRF Holiday-Offices Closed PRF Holiday-Offices Closed January 1, 2026 – January 2, 2026 Purdue Winter Break. PRF and Purdue Offices Closed Add to Calendar •	3
4	5 Firestarter Applications Open Firestarter Applications Open January 5, 2026 This is a six-week cohort-based program for founders looking to start a company in the next 3-9 months. The program will help you develop the critical elements of your business model while receiving real-time feedback from mentors and fellow cohort members. Apply today! Add to Calendar •	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13 Moonshot Pitch Competition – Applications Open Moonshot Pitch Competition – Applications Open January 13, 2026 Moonshot Pitch Challenge is an ideation-focused pitch challenge that asks students to think big – beyond the classroom – and pitch an idea that solves a real-world problem in 2 minutes of less! Any idea can be submitted for the Challenge! Your team will have to submit a video describing your idea, and decide which category your idea falls into: Earth (Social Ideas) Orbit (Business Ideas) Moonshot (Dent in the Universe Ideas) Submit your entry today! Add to Calendar New Venture Challenge Applications Close New Venture Challenge Applications Close January 13, 2026 The New Venture Challenge (NVC) helps prepare Purdue student startups for market entry and fundraising. At the end of the three-workshop series, participants will pitch to a room of investors at the annual Purdue Innovates Startup and Technology Expo. Add to Calendar The Mix – Monthly Networking Event The Mix – Monthly Networking Event January 13, 2026 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm Walt's Pub & Grill, 1050 Kalberer Rd, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA Mix with industry partners, park tenants, startups, and mentors all in one place in the Topshelf Room. Appetizers are on us. Drinks are on you. Add to Calendar • • •	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21	22 Moonshot Pitch Info Session Moonshot Pitch Info Session January 22, 2026 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Learn more: https://purdueinnovates.org/incubator/moonshot-pitch-challenge/ Add to Calendar •	23 Coffee at Convergence – Featuring Cristina Farmus Coffee at Convergence – Featuring Cristina Farmus January 23, 2026 8:30 am – 9:30 am The Convergence Center for Innovation and Collaboration, 101 Foundry Dr, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA Join us once a month for coffee and conversation with a guest speaker. Refreshments will be provided. Add to Calendar •	24
25 Moonshot Pitch Competition – Applications Closed Moonshot Pitch Competition – Applications Closed January 25, 2026 Moonshot Pitch Challenge is an ideation-focused pitch challenge that asks students to think big – beyond the classroom – and pitch an idea that solves a real-world problem in 2 minutes of less! Any idea can be submitted for the Challenge! Your team will have to submit a video describing your idea, and decide which category your idea falls into: Earth (Social Ideas) Orbit (Business Ideas) Moonshot (Dent in the Universe Ideas) Add to Calendar •	26	27	28	29 Silicon Valley Boiler Innovation Pitch Competition Silicon Valley Boiler Innovation Pitch Competition January 29, 2026 SVBIG is looking for Purdue start-ups to mentor It’s that time of year again – we’re looking for Purdue-affiliated start-ups to mentor. We invite interested entrepreneurs to complete the SVBIG Mentoring Application, available at the “Apply” button on the right hand site (or in the drop down menu, if on your mobile device) on our website: https://www.svbig.org The application is a brief, one-page form and must be submitted online. The deadline for this semester is December 7, 2025. After reviewing all applications, SVBIG will invite five to six startups to participate in the upcoming Pitch Competition, scheduled for January 29, 2025. Add to Calendar •	30	31