NKU’s CIE awarded $900k+ NSF grant for start-up internship program

October 6, 2025 — Northern Kentucky University’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE), in partnership with the Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation’s (KSTC) Kentucky Commercialization Ventures (KCV), has been awarded nearly $1 million by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support paid, hands-on opportunities for students while providing top-tier talent for regional startups.

The $999,495 grant will support the launch of the NKU INVENT Start-up Internship Program and a collaborative initiative with KVC, the KCV INVENT fellowship. The programs will build on CIE’s successful startup internship efforts and are designed to strengthen the region’s innovation ecosystem by combining training, mentorships, real-world experiences and cross-sector collaborations. The grant will also allow the Haile College of Business to expand transformative experiential opportunities for students.

"We are proud to partner with KCV and grateful to the NSF for recognizing the strength of this collaboration,” says Dr. Hassan R. HassabElnaby, dean of the Haile College of Business. “Together, we are building more than internships. We are creating bridges between higher education, regional startups and the broader community. The Haile College of Business Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship has a long tradition of equipping students to think creatively and act boldly. This funding allows us to expand that impact in powerful new ways across Northern Kentucky and beyond."

The NKU INVENT program involves up to seven weeks of innovation and commercialization training before participants are matched with paid internships at partnering startups. The program also offers stipends and flexible scheduling to allow participants to fully engage in real-world, hands-on experience.

“The NKU INVENT program will prepare students for high-growth careers in some of the most in-demand industries in our region,” says CIE Director Zac Strobl. “Thanks to this grant from the NSF and our partners at KSTC, we’re addressing the commonwealth’s critical workforce gaps in technology startups and the broader nationwide STEM workforce.”

Housed in the Haile College of Business, the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship aims to drive innovation, entrepreneurial learning and economic impact in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region. Home to the nationally recognized INKUBATOR and other economically geared programs, CIE equips students with the skills, mindset and experiences needed to thrive as entrepreneurs and innovators.

To learn more about the NKU INVENT program and to apply, visit the KCV website.