Innovation Happens Where Talent and Opportunity Come Together

The Innovation Partners Institute looks for challenging community problems and then assembles an A-list of partners with the exact skills, experiences, and capabilities to collaboratively bring novel solutions forward. This requires Innovation Partners who lead projects, as well as Corporate Partners, University Partners, Community Partners, and Funding Partners who bring their expertise and practical experience to turn ideas into working applications.

Because of the institute’s virtual nature, Innovation Partners function as “innovators in network” as opposed to “entrepreneurs in residence.” In addition to what IPI provides, the Innovation Partners tap their own networks as they develop solutions, deepening the available talent pool. 


Innovation Partners

Mo Shakouri, Ph.D.

Rural e-Learning Project

Shakouri is a Silicon Valley investor, entrepreneur and international executive with more than 25 years experience in the communications and electronics industry.

Bharath B. Reddy Bynagari

Covid-19 Related Innovation Project

Bynagari is a serial entrepreneur in healthcare IT. With a mission of “Innovative solutions with a Human Touch,” Bynagari was the inventor behind Diagnotes, a single platform for healthcare communications.

David Broecker

Sound Digital Engagement

Broecker is an experienced business executive with a passion and track record for building organizations and creating value by advancing breakthrough innovation to the marketplace. He currently serves as the Chief Innovation and Collaboration Officer for the Purdue Research Foundation.

Lee Davenport

Smart City Challenge Project

Davenport is Director of Community Development for US Ignite.

Jigyasa Sharma

Smart City Challenge Project

Jigyasa Sharma works with US Ignite communities on innovation districts, privacy, cybersecurity, data governance, equity, and community engagement.

Paul Brooks

Visionary Social Entrepreneur and Thought Leader

Paul works with several collaborators on a series of unique projects that when brought together hold the promise of empowering large groups of people to substantially increase their value creating/impact capacity. Paul and his team are located in the Indianapolis area, USA.

Roman Fernandez

Visionary Impact Investor and Advisor

Roman is a Startup Mentor at Founder Institute, TechStars and IE Business School. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics & Communications engineering from University of Kerala, India and an MBA from IE Business School in Madrid, Spain.

Reinaldo Pamponet

Visionary Social Technology Entrepreneur

Visionary Social Technology Entrepreneur with over two decades of work pioneering innovative solutions at the intersection of technology, education, and decentralized finance. Reinaldo founded the Itsnoon framework and launched Noonapp.

Jose Pizani

Visionary Technologist and Exit Founder

Jose’s competencies in Big Data, Data Science & AI, and Consulting, Project Development, Entrepreneurship, and Technology Leadership have propelled Jose to success, earning him recognition through prestigious awards and acknowledgements.


Community Partners



Corporate Partners


Funding Partners

Jay & Robyn Stead

Christian Kanady SMART Coalition

AT&T Foundation


University Partners

Purdue Resources

Indiana Next Generation Manufacturing Competitiveness Center

Jan-Anders Mansson, Distinguished Professor of Materials & Chemical Engineering

Joint Transportation Research Program

Darcy Bullock, Lyles Family Professor of Civil Engineering

The Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security

Dongyan Xu, Samuel Conte Professor of Computer Science

Center for High-Performance Buildings

James Braun, Herrick Professor of Engineering

Scalable Manufacturing of Aware and Responsive Thin Films

Ali Shakouri, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Director of Birck Nanotechnology Center

The Data Mine: Integrative Data Science Initiative and Learning Communities

Mark Ward, Professor of Statistics, Associate Director of Actuarial Science

We’d love to hear from you.

Do you have an idea you’d like us to investigate?