Mercyhurst secures $1.6 million to expand innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives

Mercyhurst University has secured more than $1.6 million in public and regional investment to expand programs to accelerate entrepreneurship, technology innovation, and economic growth across Erie and Northwest Pennsylvania.

The funding includes a $500,000 grant from the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority (ECGRA) to launch Studio 26, a $250,000 Beehive Innovation Spaces grant supporting regional entrepreneurship initiatives, and a recently announced federal earmark secured through the office of U.S. Senator Dave McCormick.

University leaders say the combined investment reflects growing confidence among government and regional partners in Mercyhurst’s role in advancing innovation, workforce development, and entrepreneurial growth.

“These investments allow Mercyhurst to expand opportunities for students while strengthening economic development in our region,” said Kathleen A. Getz, Ph.D., president of Mercyhurst University. “When our students work directly with businesses and entrepreneurs to solve real challenges, they gain the skills and experience needed to lead in tomorrow’s economy.”

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$500,000 Grant Launches Studio 26 Venture Studio

A centerpiece of the new investment is a $500,000 grant from the ECGRA to support the launch of Studio 26, Mercyhurst’s new venture studio focused on accelerating student-driven ideas and strengthening connections between the university and regional businesses.

Studio 26 will serve as a center for collaboration, bringing students, faculty experts, and industry partners together to help organizations explore emerging technologies and develop innovative solutions in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data analytics, and intelligence-informed business strategy. 

“Studio 26 is intentionally structured to turn academic expertise into real economic impact,” said John Olszowka, Ph.D., vice president for strategic initiatives at Mercyhurst University. “By embedding students and faculty in applied technology projects, we are helping businesses innovate, supporting entrepreneurship, and positioning Erie as a place where new ideas and industries can take root.”

The name Studio 26 references Mercyhurst’s founding in 1926 and reflects the university’s commitment to innovation as it approaches its 100th anniversary.

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Beehive Grant Expands Support for Regional Entrepreneurs

Mercyhurst also received funding through the Beehive Innovation Spaces Grant program, which strengthens the Northwest Pennsylvania Beehive Innovation Network.

A $250,000 Beehive Innovation Spaces grant from the ECGRA enables Mercyhurst to continue providing free market research, competitive intelligence, and strategic analysis to entrepreneurs and small businesses across Northwest Pennsylvania through its Innovation Entente Lab.

“This investment reflects ECGRA’s belief that economic development and workforce development go hand in hand,” said Perry Wood, executive director of the ECGRA. “The Beehive creates a powerful pipeline where students gain real-world experience while entrepreneurs receive actionable intelligence—strengthening businesses today and building the talent base our region needs for the future.”

Since 2020, Mercyhurst’s Beehive team has worked with more than 230 entrepreneurs and small businesses, while engaging hundreds of Mercyhurst students in applied research and consulting projects.

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Federal Investment Supports Technology and Innovation Initiatives

Additional funding includes $880,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending funding secured through U.S. Senator David McCormick’s office to advance instructional technology for Mercyhurst’s Nursing and Physician Assistant programs within the School of Health Professions. This investment will fund state-of-the-art training equipment, including high-fidelity patient simulators, diagnostic and treatment technologies, virtual reality learning tools, and upgraded skills-lab equipment.

University leaders say the federal investment further enhances Mercyhurst’s ability to expand applied learning opportunities and deepen partnerships with regional health care systems, industry, and government organizations.

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Expanding Mercyhurst’s Innovation Ecosystem

Together, these investments strengthen a growing ecosystem that connects Mercyhurst students with industry partners, entrepreneurs, and emerging technologies.

Anchored in Mercyhurst’s Department of Computing and Information Science, Studio 26 builds on the university’s applied learning model by connecting students and faculty experts with real-world challenges and industry partners. This initiative integrates emerging technologies, experiential learning, and regional collaboration that drives student success and economic development.

“Mercyhurst has built a strong culture of applied learning over many years,” Olszowka said. “These investments allow us to expand that work and create even more opportunities for students, entrepreneurs, and organizations across the region.”

FEATURED PHOTO: Cyber Security/Artificial Intelligence and Data Science students from the Department of Computing and Information Science.