Celebrating 20 years of programming at the intersection of science, healthcare & entrepreneurship.
High-impact experiential learning for outstanding liberal arts students from Minnesota’s private colleges and universities
Innovation Scholars offers a unique opportunity for multidisciplinary teams of outstanding liberal arts students to explore the interface of science, healthcare and medicine, economics, business, and entrepreneurship. Students work as a team to analyze real innovations in real time.
Led by graduate students, teams of undergraduates from Minnesota private colleges and universities research and recommend next steps for inventions and new products in development at Mayo Clinic and at emerging biomedical and healthcare companies, and in NASA’s biomedical patent portfolio.
Innovation Scholars – 20 Years of Success and Impact
SINCE 2006
1035 STUDENTS
Students engage with ideas and inventions in development and wrestle with the array of opportunities and challenges in tech transfer and commercialization of new products, including issues of bioethics and health equity. Hear from our alumni →
207 TECHNOLOGIES
Exciting, emerging technologies in development at Mayo Clinic and biomedical and healthcare companies as well as inventions in NASA’s biomedical portfolio have been analyzed by Innovation Scholars. Team recommendations help shape the next steps in the technology transfer process. Learn more about our project sponsors →
15 COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
More than 60 faculty and staff from 15 Minnesota private colleges and universities support student teams.Find your college →
“The true educational value of the program is for the students. Learning to handle ambiguous situations, learning to work with colleagues from different disciplines, and learning how business and science are combined in the real world – these are the unique educational opportunities found only in the Innovation Scholars Program.”
– DR. SUSAN STODDARD, MAYO CLINIC
We are grateful for financial support from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, the Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation, the Don and Lorraine Freeberg Foundation, the Offutt Family Foundation, the Meslow family, Mayo Clinic Community Engagement, and support from participating companies, Minnesota private colleges and universities, and the Minnesota Private College Council and Fund.
