The University of West Florida

Name

The University of West Florida

Legal name

The University of West Florida

Website

https://uwf.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Computer Training (61142)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting) (EDAHALAA)

Keywords

• Higher education programs
• Academic degree programs
• Cybersecurity research
• Robotics education
• Graduate certificates

Headquarters

HQ city

Pensacola

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral tuition along with associated fees for enrollment, processing, and program-specific charges. Resident and non-resident tuition rates apply.
2. State Funding and Performance-Based Funding: State appropriations from the Florida Board of Governors based on institutional performance metrics including graduation rates, employment outcomes, and strategic program enrollment.
3. Federal Grants and Research Funding: Funding from federal agencies including the Department of Defense, Office of Naval Research, and Department of Education supporting research initiatives and workforce development programs.
4. Private Donations and Foundation Support: Philanthropic contributions from alumni, friends, corporations, and foundations through the UWF Foundation, including the Here for Good capital campaign targeting $100 million.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The University of West Florida is a public state university that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs across more than 110 fields of study to approximately 14,500 students. Instruction is offered on-campus in Pensacola, at a regional site in Fort Walton Beach, and through online/distance learning, with notable concentrations in cybersecurity, AI, robotics, nursing, public health, marine biology, and business. The university also conducts federally funded research and licenses proprietary technologies such as the FVEP-P2 EEG-based Alzheimer's detection platform and the ODXU neurosymbolic AI framework.

Product overview

The University of West Florida offers a portfolio of academic programs and research centers focused on technology and cybersecurity. The flagship is the UWF Center for Cybersecurity and AI, which encompasses the Battle Lab, Florida Cyber Range, and various workforce development programs including CyberSkills2Work. The university operates the Intelligent Systems and Robotics Ph.D. program featuring advanced humanoid and ground robotic platforms with teleoperation capabilities. Research technologies include the FVEP-P2 EEG-based Alzheimer's detection platform and the ODXU neurosymbolic AI framework for network intrusion detection. Programs are delivered through the Canvas learning management system with integrations to student information, billing, and compliance systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs Baccalaureate degree programs (B.S., B.A., and related bachelor's degrees) offered to first-time-in-college, transfer, and online students across more than 110 fields of study, with small class sizes and personalized faculty attention.
• Graduate and Doctoral Degree Programs Master's, educational specialist, and doctoral degree programs serving more than 4,750 graduate students in fields including cybersecurity, nursing, public health, business, data science, and engineering, delivered on-campus and online.
• UWF Online - Distance Learning Online degree and certificate programs in cybersecurity, nursing, public health, healthcare administration, and graduate fields, delivered via the Canvas LMS to working professionals and remote learners globally.
• Intelligent Systems and Robotics Ph.D. Program Doctoral program in intelligent systems and robotics integrating advanced humanoid and ground robotic platforms, high-performance computing, and immersive teleoperation systems for research funded by ONR DURIP grants.
• UWF Center for Cybersecurity and AI Nationally recognized center advancing secure, responsible, and workforce-ready AI and cybersecurity through multidisciplinary education, research, workforce development, and industry collaboration, housing the Battle Lab, Florida Cyber Range, and CyberSkills2Work program.
• Florida Cyber Range Cyber range platform providing realistic simulated environments for hands-on cybersecurity training and exercises for students, transitioning military, first responders, and government employees.
• CyberSkills2Work Program Workforce development program delivering industry-recognized AI and cybersecurity certifications to transitioning military, first responders, and government employees, funded through a $9.6 million grant with a $3 million subaward to Purdue University Northwest.
• FVEP-P2 EEG-Based Alzheimer's Detection Platform Licensed EEG-based platform capable of detecting mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease by measuring brain response speed to light flashes, offering a non-invasive, lower-cost alternative to PET imaging and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Licensed to BIOPAC Systems Inc. in 2022.
• ODXU Neurosymbolic AI Framework Neurosymbolic AI framework developed with the United States Military Academy that improves network intrusion detection using deep embedded clustering, symbolic reasoning, uncertainty quantification, and transfer learning to enhance detection performance and adaptability over traditional models.
• NCAE-Approved AI-Cyber Program of Study NCAE-approved program of study that prepares AI-enabled cybersecurity professionals and leaders, offered as one of the first programs nationally approved under this designation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked #1 Top Public School – Regional Universities South by U.S. News and World Report, 2026
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Institute for Human & Machine Cognition (IHMC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Joint team from UWF and IHMC received a $775,360 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) grant from the Office of Naval Research for multi-robot autonomy and human-machine teaming research. This marks the fourth DURIP award the UWF-IHMC team has secured from ONR, integrating equipment into UWF's Intelligent Systems and Robotics Ph.D. program.
• American MagicminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026American Magic opened its High Performance Center at Port of Pensacola with UWF as workforce development partner. The partnership includes multi-season SailGP training operations beginning September 2026, integrating America's One Racing, women's and youth programs, and U.S. Olympic sailing pathway with UWF and Pensacola State College workforce development.
• Purdue University NorthwestmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025PNW received a $3 million subaward from a $9.6 million grant to UWF for AI-cybersecurity workforce certification training targeting transitioning military, first responders, and government employees. PNW, designated as a National Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense since 2014, contributes to advancing AI literacy, cybersecurity administration, and digital forensics programs.
• Pensacola State CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025UWF and Pensacola State College partnered to start Clean Lab Technology degree programs aimed at creating high-paying jobs and attracting new industry to the area. Training technicians for industries requiring sterilization and sanitation, with starting salaries around $70,000 and over $100,000 for higher degrees.
• United States Military AcademymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Researchers at UWF and the United States Military Academy developed the ODXU neurosymbolic AI framework to improve network intrusion detection systems. The framework enhances detection performance, interpretability, and adaptability using deep embedded clustering, symbolic reasoning, uncertainty quantification, and transfer learning, demonstrating superior results over traditional models.
• BIOPAC Systems Inc.coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2022UWF licensed the FVEP-P2 EEG-based Alzheimer's detection technology to BIOPAC Systems Inc. in 2022. The partnership enables commercial development and clinical deployment of the non-invasive detection platform that measures brain response speed to light flashes for early Alzheimer's detection.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Florida Gulf Coast University: Another regional Florida public university with comparable enrollment scale (~15,000-16,000), doctoral programs, and a similar focus on workforce development in Southwest Florida. Most directly comparable in mission, size, and SUS positioning.
• University of North Florida: SUS peer of similar size (~17,000 students) located in Jacksonville with comparable regional public university mission, graduate program breadth, and military-friendly positioning via proximity to Naval Station Mayport.
• Florida Atlantic University: SUS peer with doctoral research classification, comparable enrollment (~30,000), and parallel regional economic development mission in Southeast Florida with strong online program offerings.
• Troy University: Alabama public university with strong online program offerings, military-friendly designation, and comparable regional university positioning. Overlaps with UWF in adult learner, online, and military student recruitment.
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Private institution with strong presence in Daytona Beach and strong defense/aerospace partnerships, paralleling UWF's robotics and defense research trajectory through ONR-adjacent funding and partnerships.
• Old Dominion University: Virginia public research university with strong online program offerings, modeling/simulation, and cybersecurity centers. Comparable doctoral research classification, online scale, and military-affiliated student base via Hampton Roads proximity.

Broad incumbents

• University of South Florida: Much larger SUS institution with overlapping cybersecurity programs, broader research portfolio, and Tampa-area presence. Comparable in SUS positioning but significantly larger scale and research output.
• University of Central Florida: Largest SUS school with strong cybersecurity and modeling/simulation programs. Competes with UWF for Florida's online and graduate students; has significantly larger scale but overlapping workforce development mission.
• Florida State University: Premier SUS research university with established cybersecurity programs and broader graduate program portfolio. Represents an aspirational peer for UWF in research classification and competitive enrollment dynamics within Florida.

Regional players

• University of South Alabama: Public research university in Mobile, Alabama with comparable enrollment (~14,000) and doctoral programs. Direct regional competitor in the Gulf Coast corridor for students and research funding.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UWF
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/uwf
• Facebookfacebook.com/48358653786
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-west-florida-18136
• Instagraminstagram.com/uwf

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The University of West Florida