University of Hawaii College of Engineering

What University of Hawaii College of Engineering does

The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa College of Engineering is a public engineering college within the University of Hawai'i System, headquartered at Holmes Hall, 2540 Dole Street, Honolulu. It offers five undergraduate engineering disciplines (Biological Engineering; Civil, Environmental & Construction Engineering; Electrical & Computer Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; and Engineering Science), combined bachelor's/master's pathways, dedicated research institutes (Hawai'i Advanced Wireless Technologies Institute, Space Science and Engineering Initiative), and graduate research programs reaching 1,600+ students as of Fall 2025 — a historic high.

The college's research portfolio spans AI-powered wireless networks and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces for smart port environments, semiconductor and microelectronics under the CHIPS and Science Act, computer vision for traffic safety and agriculture, microscopic soft robots for targeted drug delivery, AI-enhanced irrigation via CropManage software, drone-based crop sizing, and thermal/acoustic/seismic detection of unexploded ordnance in volcanic soils. Research infrastructure is anchored by NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell GPUs obtained through the NVIDIA Academic Grant Program and supported by Keysight Technologies laboratory equipment.

The college operates as a public state entity with no traditional revenue line; operating economics are sustained through tuition and fees, state appropriations, federal and extramural research grants (NSF, USDOT, USDA, DoD; FY2025 research funding reached $734M at the system/university level), private donations (KAI Hawaii $250,000; SSFM International $276,000; Harold K.L. Castle Foundation $2.5M revolving loan fund), and industry partnerships (GCA Education Foundation since the 1970s, NVIDIA, Blyncsy, Victaulic, Burns & McDonnell). Customer segments are individual students, federal grant agencies, industry employers, alumni, and K-12 pipeline programs (JESSE, PAC-STEP, Middle School Engineering Showdown).

Name

University of Hawaii College of Engineering

Legal name

University of Hawai'i at Mānoa College of Engineering

Website

https://eng.hawaii.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa College of Engineering is a public engineering college offering undergraduate and graduate programs across five engineering disciplines, serving 1,600+ students and conducting federally funded research in AI, semiconductors, wireless networks, robotics, and infrastructure tailored to Hawaii's island environment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineering Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Research Universities with Engineering/Polytechnic Emphasis (EDAHAAAD), STEM-Focused Public Research Universities (EDAHAAAE)

Keywords

• Engineering education
• Higher education research
• Undergraduate engineering programs
• Graduate engineering research
• K-12 STEM outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from student tuition and mandatory fees for undergraduate and graduate engineering programs.
2. Research Grants and Contracts: Extramural funding from federal agencies including NSF, USDOT ($750K prize), USDA ($2.4M grant), DoD under CHIPS and Science Act ($15.3M), Army Engineer Research and Development Center (expected $6M). Fiscal year 2025 reached $734 million in research funding.
3. Private Donations: KAI Hawaii donated $250,000; SSFM International donated $276,000 for scholarships. Additional donations from Burns & McDonnell for Wāhine Connect program expansion.
4. Industry Partnerships: GCA Education Foundation funding faculty positions; NVIDIA Academic Grant Program providing computing hardware (RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell GPUs); industry partners supporting student programs and facilities.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Engineering delivers undergraduate and graduate engineering degree programs across multiple disciplines (Biological, Civil/Environmental/Construction, Electrical & Computer, Mechanical, and Engineering Science). It conducts sponsored research in areas including AI-powered wireless networks, semiconductors, medical robotics, and agricultural technology, while running K-12 STEM outreach programs such as JESSE, PAC-STEP, and the Middle School Engineering Showdown.

Product overview

The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa College of Engineering is an educational institution offering a portfolio of undergraduate degree programs (Biological Engineering, Civil/Environmental/Construction Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Science) combined with specialized research institutes (Hawai'i Advanced Wireless Technologies Institute, Space Science and Engineering Initiative) and accelerated degree pathways. The college provides comprehensive student services including academic advising through the Student Academic Service Office, career development through bi-annual Engineering Career Expos and the Leadership Seminar Series, and experiential learning through the Vertically Integrated Projects program and Research Experience for Undergraduates. K-12 outreach is a major component, featuring the Junior Engineers Summer STEM Experience (JESSE) placing high school students in university labs, the PAC-STEP transportation education program, and the annual Middle School Engineering Showdown competition. Research infrastructure includes NVIDIA-powered AI computing resources for wireless networks, cybersecurity, and smart infrastructure research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PAC-STEP: Pacific Summer Transportation Education Program - a Federal Highway Administration National Summer Transportation Institute program for high school students introducing STEM skills and transportation-related careers.
• JESSE
• Wāhine Connect

Products and services

• Biological Engineering Degree Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,600+ students enrolled Fall 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability10 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pacific-Intermountain Network for Education in Semiconductors (PINES)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026Regional coalition of 30 universities and colleges, industry partners and workforce organizations working together to prepare students for semiconductor careers. Led by SEMI Foundation and supported by U.S. National Science Foundation in partnership with U.S. Department of Commerce. UH Mānoa joined alongside 30 institutions across nine western states and Hawaii.
• NVIDIAcoreTechnology or Integration · 12 June 2026NVIDIA Academic Grant Program awarded four RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell graphics processing units to support AI and next-generation wireless communication research led by Assistant Professor Xiaochan Xue in collaboration with Associate Professor Yao Zheng. Research focuses on AI-powered wireless networks, cybersecurity, and emerging communication technologies for smart ports and transportation infrastructure.
• General Contractors Association of Hawaii (GCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 February 2026Long-standing partnership since the 1970s where GCA Education Foundation funds a faculty position in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering. Joshua Ka Tung Au was appointed to this industry-supported position, replacing Randy Akiona who taught for over two decades. Partnership aligns academic programs with workforce needs and provides students real-world experience through industry involvement.
• Burns & McDonnellminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 August 2025Provided support for expansion of Wāhine Connect program supporting women in engineering at UH.
• VictaulicminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Hosted and fully sponsored 2nd Annual Engineers vs Contractors Volleyball Tournament, bringing together engineers and contractors who maintain Hawaii's water infrastructure.
• Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & IMFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJESSE program students visited Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard for hands-on engineering experiences and mentorship, engaging in team-based challenges with shipyard engineers on problems like electrical troubleshooting and cooling system repairs.
• Dole PlantationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Team 'Āina for Farm Robotics Challenge 2025, providing real-world testing environment for AI-powered drone and robot system counting and sizing pineapples to address worker shortages.
• Hawaii Department of TransportationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAC-STEP program organized through Federal Highway Administration's National Summer Transportation Institute Grant Initiative, introducing high school students to STEM skills through transportation planning lens.
• OceanitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal engineering firm included in JESSE program site visits for students to explore applied research and secure communications engineering careers.
• NIWC PacificminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNaval Information Warfare Center Pacific included in JESSE program site visits for students to explore defense engineering career opportunities.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Colorado School of Mines: Public engineering-focused university with strong applied research portfolio and federal funding base. Comparable as a specialized engineering institution with industry partnership depth.
• Virginia Tech College of Engineering: Public R1 engineering college with similar departmental structure, federal research funding focus, and industry partnership emphasis. Comparable as a mid-to-large public engineering school with strong industry ties.
• Purdue University College of Engineering: Public R1 engineering college with substantial federal research funding and a strong semiconductor workforce pipeline. Comparable scale, public funding model, and research portfolio breadth.
• Oregon State University College of Engineering: Land-grant public R1 engineering school with comparable research scale and applied research orientation. Similar membership in regional semiconductor and engineering education networks.
• University of Michigan College of Engineering: Top-tier public R1 engineering school with multi-disciplinary departments including ECE, ME, CEE, and BioE. Directly comparable departmental structure and research funding scale.
• Georgia Institute of Technology College of Engineering: Large public R1 engineering college with strong federal research funding and semiconductor/AI research focus. Directly comparable as a public engineering school competing for similar federal grants and industry partnerships.
• Cal Poly College of Engineering: Public polytechnic engineering college with strong industry-aligned curriculum and applied research focus. Comparable GCA-style industry partnership model and hands-on engineering pedagogy.
• University of Washington College of Engineering: Pacific-region public R1 engineering school with similar federal research funding profile and AI/wireless research strengths. Comparable in CHIPS Act positioning and industry partnership depth.

Others

• University of Hawaii at Mānoa (parent institution): Parent public R1 research university providing governance, student services, and broader academic context for the College of Engineering. Relevant as the institutional ecosystem within which the College operates.

Broad incumbents

• University of California, Berkeley College of Engineering: Elite public R1 engineering college with far larger scale but overlapping research areas in semiconductors, AI, and wireless systems. Comparable research portfolio but at significantly larger scale and global brand recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/UHawaiiNews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@uhmanoacollegeofengineerin6429
• Facebookfacebook.com/UHMEngineering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/uhmengineering
• Instagraminstagram.com/uhmengineering

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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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 University of Hawaii College of Engineering