Purdue University
Purdue University is a top-10-ranked public research university founded in 1869 in Indiana, operating five campuses and online programs serving students, K-12 outreach, and industry partners across $1B+ in annual sponsored research expenditures.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1869
- HeadquartersWest Lafayette, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Purdue University does
Purdue University is a public research university founded in 1869 in West Lafayette, Indiana, operating across five campuses (West Lafayette, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Hammond, and Westville) plus online programs. It serves a multi-segment base including undergraduate and graduate students, K-12 students through federal outreach programs, working professionals via online MBA and certificate programs, and industrial partners through sponsored research. The university employs 10,000+ staff and faculty and maintains a top-10 QS World University Ranking for four consecutive years, while holding the #1 Most Recognized Public University designation (American Caldwell 2025).
The university's product portfolio spans degree programs (including a newly launched comprehensive quantum degrees program and AI graduation competency requirement), research infrastructure (Anvil NSF supercomputer with 215TB pre-hosted AI datasets, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Bindley Bioscience Center), consumer applications (pet care apps for Apple Vision Pro/iPad/iPhone, D-Day educational simulation on Steam), and academic programs (Drone Industry Graduate Certificate, Sport Management MS). Strategic technology initiatives include AI@Purdue, Purdue Computes, and the One Health Innovation District anchored with Elanco. Revenue sources span tuition, state appropriations, federal research grants (Department of Education $34.9M, Department of Energy $6M, DoD $100M+ SCALE, USDA), industry partnerships ($250M Lilly 8-year commitment, Cook Medical 50-year alliance), and philanthropic donations ($20M Ricks Family Foundation). President Mung Chiang led expansion to $1B+ in sponsored research expenditures from January 2023; he is departing for Northwestern effective July 1, 2026.
Purdue University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Purdue University
- Legal name
- Purdue University
- Website
- https://purdue.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1869
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Purdue University is a top-10-ranked public research university founded in 1869 in Indiana, operating five campuses and online programs serving students, K-12 outreach, and industry partners across $1B+ in annual sponsored research expenditures.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Purdue University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education Research University
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- STEM-Focused Public Research Universities (EDAHAAAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Public Research Universities with National Laboratories/Big Science Facilities (EDAHAAAJ)
Keywords
Where Purdue University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- West Lafayette
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Purdue University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Federal Research Grants: Purdue receives substantial federal funding from agencies including the U.S. Department of Education (GEAR UP program - $34.9M), Department of Energy ($6M nuclear energy consortium), and USDA ($2M avian influenza research, $650K cattle research).
- Tuition and Educational Programs: Purdue generates revenue through undergraduate and graduate tuition, including reduced online MBA programs ($36,000 for out-of-state students down from $60,000) and professional development programs.
- Industry Research Partnerships: Purdue receives significant investment from industry partners including up to $250 million over eight years from Eli Lilly through the Lilly-Purdue 360 Initiative for AI-powered drug discovery and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
- Philanthropic Donations: Purdue receives major donations including $20M from Ricks Family Foundation for the Purdue Institute for Healthcare Systems Innovation and $5.95M raised during Purdue Day of Giving for Veterinary Medicine.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Online MBA Program |
| Subscription | Annual | Graduate and Professional Tuition |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
Purdue University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Purdue University is a public land-grant research university delivering undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs across multiple Indiana campuses (West Lafayette, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Northwest) and through online channels. The university conducts sponsored research exceeding $1 billion annually, partners with industry leaders such as Eli Lilly ($250M Lilly-Purdue 360 Initiative) and Cook Medical, and operates major research infrastructure including the Anvil supercomputer, quantum computing facilities, and the SCALE microelectronics workforce program.
Product overview
Purdue University operates as a comprehensive research university offering educational programs, research initiatives, and technology products across multiple disciplines. The university's product portfolio includes consumer-facing pet care mobile applications (Pet Care Apps for Apple platforms), educational gaming products (D-Day Simulation), and various academic programs. The institution has major strategic initiatives in AI education (AI@Purdue with graduation competency requirements), quantum computing (Quantum Degrees Program, Microsoft Quantum Lab), and agricultural technology (DIAL Ventures for AI-powered supply chain solutions). Research infrastructure includes the Anvil supercomputer serving national researchers with pre-hosted AI datasets. Purdue Computes represents the overarching technology strategy integrating AI, quantum, and semiconductor research, while the One Health initiative connects health-related research across multiple colleges.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Boilermakers: Athletic teams nickname for Purdue University
Products and services
- Undergraduate Degree Programs
- Graduate and Professional Degree Programs
- Online MBA Program
- Purdue Quantum Degrees Program
- Drone Industry Graduate Certificate
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 14,000 students and 3,000+ educators benefit from GEAR UP program annually
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Purdue University
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Purdue University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability13 records
Feature5 records
Purdue University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Jeonbuk National UniversitycoreJBNU-Purdue Research Institute collaboration on physical artificial intelligence and defense technologies, including an 846-square-meter Physical AI Proof-of-Concept Manufacturing Technology Lab with Hyundai Motor Group partnership. Project valued at 21.9 billion won ($14.4 million) in government funding.
- LightBoxminorDonated $25,000 to Purdue research initiative led by Dr. Andrew Whelton to develop soil safety guide for property owners recovering from wildland-urban interface fires. Total project funding of $50,000 including $25,000 from Palisades residents.
- U.S. Navy Memorial FoundationminorINDOPAC 2026 forum on U.S. maritime power featuring Purdue University as one of seven defense company sponsors alongside Hanwha Defense USA, Leonardo DRS, L3Harris, and Lockheed Martin.
- Yanolja ResearchminorJoint development of Global Festival Attractiveness Index (Yanolja Festival Index) with Purdue's CHRIBA Institute and Kyung Hee University's H&T Analytics Center. Index evaluates 560 major international festivals using Brandwatch social media data.
- GeChi Compound Semiconductor (GCCS)coreFive-year MOU to advance silicon carbide (SiC) crystal growth and wafer development for 8-inch and 12-inch platforms. Partnership aims to bridge gap between laboratory-scale SiC research and volume manufacturing for 6G telecommunications and national tech security.
- LEGO EducationminorPartnership to host professional development workshop 'Brick by Brick: Bringing AI to the Classroom' on July 23 at Purdue's West Lafayette campus for Indiana STEM educators grades 6-8. Limited to 60 attendees with AI curriculum materials.
- Cook MedicalcoreFive-year master sponsored research and collaboration agreement (MSRCA) building on 50-year partnership, targeting image-guided procedures and advanced medical device manufacturing while expanding biomedical engineering workforce pipeline.
- Eli Lilly and CompanycoreLilly-Purdue 360 Initiative with planned investment of up to $250 million over eight years, integrating AI-powered drug discovery with advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing and workforce development. Researchers collaborate across university laboratories, manufacturing facilities, and Indiana's LEAP Research and Innovation District.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Purdue University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ohio State University: Large flagship public research university with comparable sponsored research scale, comprehensive STEM and professional programs, and Big Ten peer institutional economics. Most directly comparable on research dollars, federal grant capture, and regional industry partnerships.
- University of Michigan: Top-tier public research university with similar engineering and applied sciences emphasis, large sponsored research base, and broad graduate/professional portfolio. Competes directly with Purdue for talent, federal funding, and corporate partnerships.
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: Public Big Ten peer with strong engineering and computer science focus, parallel federal grant profile (NSF, DoD), and similar applied-research commercialization model via its research park.
- Georgia Institute of Technology: Technology-focused public university with comparable STEM enrollment mix, large sponsored research base, and active industry partnership model in defense, semiconductors, and AI - directly competes for talent and DoD microelectronics funding.
- Pennsylvania State University: Large public research university with multiple campuses, strong engineering and materials programs, similar land-grant research extension model, and comparable federal grant capture in defense and energy.
- Texas A&M University: Public land-grant research university with comparable engineering breadth, defense and energy research concentrations, and a similarly large research expenditure base competing for federal dollars.
- University of Wisconsin-Madison: Big Ten peer public research university with strong engineering, agricultural, and life sciences research; comparable sponsored research scale and federal grant composition.
- Michigan State University: Land-grant public university with similar scale, regional industry ties, and STEM emphasis; comparable economics on tuition, state appropriations, and sponsored research mix.
- North Carolina State University: Public research university with comparable engineering focus, large industry partnership base (including life sciences and ag-tech), and similar DoD-funded workforce pipeline programs in microelectronics and autonomous systems.
Broad incumbents
- University of California, Berkeley: Larger and broader public research university with higher global ranking position but comparable engineering and computer science depth; competes for faculty, federal grants, and top STEM students but with materially larger endowment and scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Purdue University social profiles
Digital presencePurdue University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Purdue University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Purdue University subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Purdue University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds16 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Purdue University M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Purdue University
What does Purdue University do?
Purdue University is a public land-grant research university delivering undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs across multiple Indiana campuses (West Lafayette, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Northwest) and through online channels. The university conducts sponsored research exceeding $1 billion annually, partners with industry leaders such as Eli Lilly ($250M Lilly-Purdue 360 Initiative) and Cook Medical, and operates major research infrastructure including the Anvil supercomputer, quantum computing facilities, and the SCALE microelectronics workforce program.
Is Purdue University a public or private company?
Purdue University is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Purdue University founded?
Purdue University was founded in 1869. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Purdue University based?
Purdue University is headquartered in West Lafayette, United States, in the North America region.
How does Purdue University make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Federal Research Grants are the primary driver. The others are tuition and Educational Programs, industry Research Partnerships and philanthropic Donations.
Who are Purdue University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ohio State University, University of Michigan, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Georgia Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania State University, Texas A&M University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Michigan State University and North Carolina State University. University of California, Berkeley is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Purdue University have an API?
No public API is recorded for Purdue University.
What industry is Purdue University in?
Purdue University's product category is Higher Education Research University. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAAAE, STEM-Focused Public Research Universities, with a secondary code of EDAHAAAJ, Public Research Universities with National Laboratories/Big Science Facilities. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8711.