01
Cultivate
Cultivating a Culture of Innovation
We are driving campus-wide engagement through peer-led mentorship, revising tenure guidelines to reward translational scholarship, and actively harvesting new ideas across all departments.
Accelerating Research Translation · NSF GROW
AcceleratingResearchTranslationAt Portland State
The Vision
Let KnowledgeServe the City
More than a motto—a roadmap
“Let Knowledge Serve the City” is more than our motto—it is our roadmap. Through the NSF-funded GROW program, Portland State University is scaling research translation across disciplines. We are actively bridging the gap between academic discovery and real-world, scalable solutions that strengthen our regional economy and address critical societal challenges.
Three Moves.One Ecosystem.
The Strategy
02
Elevate
Elevating Early Discoveries
Through our milestone-driven BootSTRP seed funding, graduate training initiatives, and streamlined industry partnership pipelines, we turn early-stage ideas into market-ready innovations.
03
Accelerate
Accelerating Startup Success
Utilizing the Portland State Business Accelerator (PSBA) and the Metro Region Innovation Hub, we provide intensive coaching and ecosystem navigation to launch and scale PSU startups.
Explore the Ecosystem
One connected path from discovery to impact.
Project BootSTRP
Move promising research forward
Milestone-driven seed support helps PSU teams de-risk applied research and advance toward licensing, startup formation, or community deployment.
Explore FundingFunded Projects
First projects.
Real-world impact.
See the inaugural teams advancing low-power LiDAR, painless glucose sensing, and portable satellite communication.
View the PortfolioGROW People
Peer leaders across PSU
Meet the program leaders, university champions, faculty entrepreneurs, and project leads building a culture of translation.
Meet the PeopleIndustry Advisors
Perspective beyond campus
Connect with regional experts in venture, product development, intellectual property, bioscience, and advanced technology.
Meet the AdvisorsFind Your Starting Point
Get involved
Faculty & Researchers
Step into the translational pipeline
Bring an early discovery, software tool, or applied model. Connect with a GROW Ambassador, learn about disclosure, or prepare for the next BootSTRP cycle.
Graduate Students & Postdocs
Lead the next wave of translation
Build hands-on experience in patents, market evaluation, and entrepreneurship through the upcoming Leadership in Translation internship program.
Connect with the GROW Team
Start with a conversation.
Tell us where you are in the process. The team can help identify the right people, resources, and next step.
Join the GROW Team
Help build the next research ecosystem.
We are recruiting a Patent Licensing Associate and a PSBA Program Manager to support faculty innovators and translational projects.