Innevation Center news

Nevada Today

Stories from the University’s ecosystem of resources for entrepreneurs, industry and the community.

A large award check in the amount of $2,000 and cog-wheel trophies for the 2024 Makerthon competition.
Makerthon competition has students design products to address challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness

Team Mathemusicians takes home $2,000 prize for ‘c-kube,’ a secure storage solution

Participants of the 2023 Makerthon pose for a group photo in the University of Nevada, Reno Innevation Center.
University’s Innevation Center hosts fourth annual Makerthon competition April 12-14

Five student teams have 48 hours to design, test and manufacture their prototype products in the downtown Reno build space

EDAWN Coin in clear plastic bag within a felt box
EDAWN Coin presentations bookend 2023

Research & Innovation leaders recognized for contributions to Reno-Sparks regional economic development efforts

A wall in the Innevation Center with graffiti-like wording that reads, "We heart Nevada."
Innevation Center offers more than a creative, collaborative space

Student workers share impactful moments and insights from working at the downtown center and plans after graduation

Aerial view of downtown Reno, Nevada
Inaugural Reno Startup Week is Sept. 25-29

More than 40 free workshops, speaking and networking events; on track to be largest community-business event ever in Reno

AAPI mural in the Multicultural Center depicting four smiling people of AAPI heritage with the words "Stay True" above them and a full moon in one corner and a bird in the other corner.
Mural at the Multicultural Center Honors AAPI Heritage

Artist Joshua Chang paints mural honoring his culture and heritage

Mak3rthon 2023 first place team, Team Jirachi
Mak3rthon competition has students design products to improve outdoor recreation accessibility

Team Jirachi takes home $1,500 prize for ‘The Climbin’ Buddy,’ helping make rock climbing more accessible for the visually impaired

Wolf Pack Bots Team with mentors and Professor Salas
Wolf Pack Bots qualify to compete in Northern Nevada LEGO® Championship

The E.L. Cord Foundation Center for Learning and Literacy at the University incorporates robotics into its multimodal literacy framework to facilitate academic success.

Through the creation of jobs and internships, (ABTC is) giving new experiences to our students and contributing to the preparedness and diversity of our future scientists and the nation."

NCAR-affiliate company highlighted in White House announcement

Campus-based American Battery Technology Company is one of the 20 manufacturing and processing companies receiving grant awards as part of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Students pose for picture while touring the Innevation Center Makerspace.
Innevation Center partners with Upward Bound for Summer 2022

Student interns to explore STEAM career opportunities and learn how to become “makers” in the Makerspace

University engineering students Jennifer Clayton, Jacob Hunter, Lloyd Gonzales and Morgan Young
Innevation Center’s 2nd annual Makerthon competition finds its winner in the University’s College of Engineering

Team Starfruit takes home $1000 check prize for their invention that helps address wildfire crisis

The Wolf Pack Bots team of young students.
Mentorship and teamwork lead Wolf Pack Bots to another LEGO competition win

University faculty and student mentors work with young team to build robotics skills, confidence and literacy

Two teen members of a robotics competition team visit with Nevada's Lt. Governor Kate Marshall and University of Nevada, Reno President Brian Sandoval.
Sparking innovative education and outreach: K-12 Robotics Center | University of Nevada, Reno

With support from Tesla and EDAWN, unique University facility for robotics-based education and competition teams will strengthen the path to degrees, careers and workforce development

Wolf Pack Bots team pose for photo.
With faculty and student mentorship, young Wolf Pack Bots advance to regional LEGO competition

College of Education & Human Development’s Center for Learning and Literacy program builds robotics skills, confidence and literacy

Five University students stand in the Makerspace.
Makerspace at the Innevation Center allows users to discover, learn, build and connect

Offering equipment, resources and support – plus its first ever Makerthon – this well-equipped space encourages creation and real-world learning

Kerry Thompson and her team of students stand around the robot they built at a competition.
FYRE Robotics provides mentorship for K-12 students interested in engineering and science

As lead mentor for this community-based robotics team, Kerry Thompson helps students develop important life-skills such as teamwork, communication and more

The FYRE Robotics team of students, ages 13-18, builds a robot in the Makerspace of the Innevation Center.
Workforce development downtown: K-12 Robotics Center|University of Nevada, Reno

Southside Studio becomes home to robotics-based education and competition teams, strengthening the path to degrees and careers

At a critical moment for small technology-based businesses in our state, the Knowledge Fund has identified the SAGE program as an ideal partner to substantially improve small technology-based businesses’ access to federal SBIR and STTR grant opportunities."

University’s SAGE program expands statewide with GOED support and UNLV partnership

GOED Knowledge Fund grant will connect technology companies statewide to federal Small Business Innovation research grants

Photo of Jim Sacherman, the center's first director, current Director Grace Chou, Makerspace Specialist Daniel Smith, Assistant Director Crystal Harvey and Office Coordinator Ania Cavillo-Mason.
Five years, 370 jobs and $88 million in investor capital at the Innevation Center

The University’s downtown hub of entrepreneurialism and collaboration celebrates its 5th anniversary

A robotic arm shakes hands with a human hand
Grant helps retrain workers for Nevada manufacturing careers

Nevada Industry Excellence joins with collaborators to offer free certification program to prepare workers who have been laid-off for available jobs

Carlos Cardillo of the Nevada Center for Applied Research and Jonathan Hull of Bioelectronica stand in the biosciences laboratory managed by NCAR.
3 companies ‘graduate’ from Nevada Center for Applied Research following successful incubation

With support from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, University’s applied R&D center has drawn more than $43 million to Nevada and now welcomes 3 new businesses

Professor Geoff Blewitt sits alongside a GPS station on a mountain that overlooks the valley of Reno and Sparks, Nev.
Using worldwide GPS data to study changes in Earth’s crust, from the Ice Age to today

The University’s 2020 Outstanding Researcher award recognizes the amazing discoveries, scientific contributions and career of Geoff Blewitt

A healthcare worker wearing a gown, face mask, and face shield giving the thumbs up
University + manufacturing + volunteers make and donate hospital gowns

A community network coordinated by the Innevation Center Makerspace has made more than 750 gowns to help meet the regional need for PPE

Two workshop participants developing content on flipchart paper
InNEVator accelerates early-stage companies with pivot to online

Regional innovation ecosystem supports international cohort of companies through Innevation Center-hosted bootcamp

Alaska National Guard Black Hawk helicopter lands in snowy field.
Lulius Innovation technology solution helps National Guard manage readiness

COVID-19 response shows capability of flagship software product developed by Innevation Center member company

Three healthcare workers wearing protective gear including masks, shields and gowns, in a procedure room.
University makerspaces and 3D printers at work developing PPE

Researchers, faculty and staff respond to the call for resources and deploy makerspace resources to support our healthcare heroes

A robot shaking hands with a human hand in a manufacturing setting
Nevada Manufacturing and Tech Forum launches with big audience and big ideas

Nevada Industry Excellence’s new industry-led, economic initiative selected to receive Google.org Impact Challenge Nevada grant funding

Woman wears a hardhat in an advanced manufacturing setting
Two, statewide University-hosted programs selected to receive Google.org grants

Impact Challenge Nevada is under way: vote online by Nov. 26 for Nevada Industry Excellence or Nevada Small Business Development Center!

Image of a flying airplane as it is seen through Casia, the collision-avoidance system
Iris Automation successfully completes beyond-visual-line-of-sight drone operation

Innevation Center member-company achieves unmanned-aircraft-technology milestone, plus is named to CNBC’s Upstart 100 list

Researchers pose for photo from two UNR Med laboratories who are University’s first to participate in program that helps deliver discoveries to the marketplace.
Cell lines and antibody commercialized through reagent licensing program

Two School of Medicine laboratories are University’s first to participate in program that helps deliver discoveries to the marketplace

Biggest Little Makers: Natali Salas-España, Carlos Bean, John Kirkpatrick and Daniel Smith
'Make48' competition show features University's Biggest Little Makers

As national public-television show hits the air and the Internet, the experiential, makerspace culture continues to take hold on the University of Nevada, Reno campus

A group of business people around a conference table
New program supports and mentors SBIR/STTR grant proposals

SAGE, the Sierra Accelerator for Growth and Entrepreneurship, encourages small business development for innovation research and technology transfer

The Reno arch lit up at night
Reno hosts national conference on higher-ed and economic-development connection

University Economic Development Association’s 2019 Annual Summit convenes in downtown Reno Sept. 29-Oct. 2; projected to draw 250 attendees

five individuals in the Innevation Center's co-working space
Incubating jobs, energy and the future economy in downtown Reno

With a new director and nearly 200 jobs created, the University of Nevada, Reno Innevation Center—Powered By Switch looks ahead

Faculty member and student in front of research-project poster
Ahmad Itani named associate vice president for research

His career studying and improving engineering of bridges now shifts to building connections to resources, opportunities, colleagues