EPICS in IEEE
EPICS in IEEE is a non-profit IEEE initiative that funds university and high school student engineering teams ($1,000–$10,000 grants) to develop community service projects across four pillars: Access and Abilities, Environment, Education and Outreach, and Human Services. Since 2009, it has facilitated 303+ projects in 40 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersPiscataway, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What EPICS in IEEE does
EPICS in IEEE (Engineering Projects in Community Service) is a non-profit service-learning initiative founded in 2009 and operated under IEEE, the world's largest technical professional organization. The program empowers university and high school students to collaborate with IEEE engineering professionals and community organizations to design, build, and deploy technology solutions addressing community challenges. Since inception, it has facilitated over 303 projects across 40 countries, impacting more than 1.6 million people. Its four operational pillars are Access and Abilities, Environment, Education and Outreach, and Human Services.
The program's core offering is project grants ranging from US$1,000 to US$10,000 per project, supplemented by mentorship from IEEE volunteer engineers, project management resources, and a Travel Grant Program. The underlying "technology" is the service-learning methodology itself — adapted from Purdue University's original 1995 EPICS program — combined with a grant submission platform (grantinterface.com) and a distributed review committee with regional representatives across IEEE Regions 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. Specialized funding streams are operated in partnership with IEEE societies including AP-S COPE, IAS, IMS, and IEEE SA, plus dedicated memorial funds (Fischer Mertel Community of Projects, Dr. Swarn S. Kalsi Memorial Fund). Themed competitions (UEF Environmental Competition, Access and Abilities Competition, AI Projects 2025) add programmatic depth.
As a charitable initiative, EPICS in IEEE does not generate commercial revenue. Its funding flows primarily through the EPICS in IEEE Fund administered by the IEEE Foundation (established 2014) and through society-specific allocations, donations, and memorial contributions. Distribution is global and channel-leveraged via IEEE's sections, societies, and university partnerships, with the core staff consisting of a Program Manager (Ashley Moran), a Development Officer (Daniel Deliberato), and a volunteer governance committee. The 2025 cycle was the program's most active year, funding 48 projects across 17 countries with $290,000.
EPICS in IEEE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EPICS in IEEE
- Legal name
- IEEE
- Website
- https://epics.ieee.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- EPICS in IEEE is a non-profit IEEE initiative that funds university and high school student engineering teams ($1,000–$10,000 grants) to develop community service projects across four pillars: Access and Abilities, Environment, Education and Outreach, and Human Services. Since 2009, it has facilitated 303+ projects in 40 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EPICS in IEEE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Engineering Education Non-Profit Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (6117), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH), Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)
Keywords
Where EPICS in IEEE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Piscataway
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
EPICS in IEEE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Grant Awards: EPICS in IEEE provides funding awards to student teams for project-related supplies (not personnel costs). Awards range from US$1,000 to US$10,000 per project.
- Donations and Fundraising: The program relies on donations and fundraising, including partnerships with IEEE societies, corporate sponsors, and memorial funds to support project funding.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Project Grant |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
EPICS in IEEE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EPICS in IEEE runs a service-learning engineering program that funds university and high school student teams (with grants of US$1,000–$10,000 per project) to design and deploy community-focused engineering solutions in partnership with IEEE volunteer mentors and local non-profit/community organizations. Projects are organized in four core pillars—Access and Abilities, Environment, Education and Outreach, and Human Services—and the program is supported through IEEE Foundation-administered funding, IEEE society co-funding (AP-S COPE, IAS, IMS, IEEE SA), memorial funds, and themed competitions.
Product overview
EPICS in IEEE (Engineering Projects in Community Service) is a service-learning program that operates as a unified platform connecting university and high school students with engineering professionals to develop community-focused engineering solutions. The core offering consists of grant funding (US$1,000 to $10,000 per project), mentorship, and project support across four main categories: Access and Abilities, Environment, Education and Outreach, and Human Services. The program facilitates projects globally with funding from annual allocations and specialized funds including the Fischer Mertel Community of Projects, Dr. Swarn S. Kalsi Memorial Fund, and society-specific programs through AP-S-COPE, IAS, IMS, and IEEE SA partnerships. Additional offerings include the Excellent EPICS in IEEE Contributor Awards, Travel Grant Program, and themed competitions (UEF Environmental Competition, Access and Abilities Competition).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- EPICS in IEEE Service-Learning Program A service-learning engineering program that empowers university and high school students to work with technical professionals and communities worldwide to enhance practical engineering skills through community service projects; provides grants, mentorship, resources, and project visibility through the EPICS in IEEE initiative of IEEE.
- EPICS in IEEE Project Grants Project funding awards of US$1,000 to US$10,000 per project for engineering-based solutions to community challenges; covers project-related supplies (not personnel costs) with review turnaround of approximately 30 days after submission.
- Access and Abilities Projects Engineering projects solving accessibility issues, enabling adaptive services, establishing clinics, and developing assistive technologies for the approximately 1 billion people worldwide living with disabilities.
- Environment Projects Projects focused on renewable energy, sustainable practices, environmental monitoring, water management, and new ways to serve communities through alternative energy sources and environmental solutions.
- Education and Outreach Projects Projects creating innovative tools by university students to engage K-12 students in project-based STEM exploration with a focus on community-oriented engineering education.
- Human Services Projects Projects leveraging technology to address community needs including homelessness prevention, affordable housing, family services, human trafficking, neighborhood revitalization, and local government support.
- EPICS in IEEE Annual Funding Program Annual initiative funding engineering projects globally; 2025 funded 48 projects in 17 countries for $290,000 covering sustainable agriculture in Colombia, accessible education tools in Pakistan, and air pollution monitoring in North Macedonia.
- UEF Environmental Competition Environmental competition in partnership with The United Engineering Foundation focused on innovative engineering solutions for environmental challenges.
- Access and Abilities Competition (2023) Competition focused on innovative assistive technologies and accessibility solutions, recognizing outstanding projects that improve lives of people with disabilities.
- Fischer Mertel Community of Projects A dedicated funding stream supporting students solving challenges that benefit communities in tangible ways, honoring Joe Fischer and Herb Mertel, two IEEE EMC Society Hall of Fame engineering leaders.
- Dr. Swarn S. Kalsi Memorial Fund A memorial fund empowering multidisciplinary student teams to design real-world solutions benefiting local communities, honoring Dr. Swarn S. Kalsi's legacy in superconducting magnet technology and hands-on engineering education.
- AP-S COPE Supported Projects Projects funded through partnership with IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society's Committee On Promoting Equality (AP-S COPE), addressing technological needs of communities through service learning.
- IAS Supported Projects Projects funded through partnership with IEEE Industry Applications Society (IAS), providing university students and professionals opportunities to address community technological needs through service learning.
- IMS Supported Projects Projects funded through partnership with IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society (IMS), enabling students to address community needs through service learning.
- IEEE SA Supported Projects Projects funded through partnership with IEEE Standards Association, supporting student teams with resources and funding for service learning projects with standards-related components.
- Travel Grant Program Program providing travel grants to support student participation in EPICS in IEEE projects and related engineering activities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 303+ projects completed across 40 countries since 2009
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use EPICS in IEEE
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
EPICS in IEEE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability11 records
Feature2 records
EPICS in IEEE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and foundational.
- IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S) COPEcorePartnership with AP-S Committee On Promoting Equality (COPE) to provide university students, faculty, and professionals opportunities to address technological needs of communities through service learning projects. AP-S-COPE funds specific projects.
- IEEE Industry Applications Society (IAS)corePartnership with IAS to provide university students, faculty, and professionals opportunities to address technological needs of communities through service learning projects. IAS provides funding for selected projects.
- IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society (IMS)corePartnership with IMS to support student teams in developing solutions for community challenges. IMS provides funding and resources for instrumentation and measurement-focused projects.
- IEEE Standards Association (SA)corePartnership with IEEE SA to fund and provide resources for student teams working on community service engineering projects with standards-related components.
- Purdue UniversityfoundationalOriginal home of EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service) founded in 1995. EPICS in IEEE was founded in 2009 based on the Purdue model and continues to draw on the original program's methodology and best practices.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
EPICS in IEEE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EPICS (Purdue University): The original Engineering Projects in Community Service program, founded at Purdue in 1995 and the direct model from which EPICS in IEEE was created in 2009. Operates the same service-learning engineering framework with university teams solving community challenges.
- Engineers Without Borders USA: Partners engineering students and professionals with communities in developing countries to deliver infrastructure and technology projects. Shares the engineering-for-community-service model and student volunteer base, though EWB is an independent nonprofit rather than a professional society initiative.
- MIT D-Lab: Works with universities, NGOs, and communities to develop and deploy appropriate technologies addressing poverty. Shares the model of student-led, community-partnered engineering projects for humanitarian outcomes.
- Engineering for Change: Hosts a global community of engineers, students, and development practitioners designing and deploying technology solutions for underserved communities. Directly comparable mission and online project hosting model to EPICS in IEEE.
- Global Engineering Brigades (GB): University chapter-based program where student volunteers partner with communities in Latin America and Africa on infrastructure projects. Highly comparable in mobilizing student engineers for community service, though with a more travel-intensive model.
Emerging players
- Design for America: University network of student designers and engineers tackling local social challenges through human-centered design. Overlaps in the student-led, community-focused engineering design space, though more oriented toward early-stage design exploration than deployment.
Broad incumbents
- ASEE (American Society for Engineering Education): The leading U.S. organization dedicated to engineering education, including service-learning and K-12 STEM outreach programs. Comparable focus on developing engineering students and educators, though broader in scope than EPICS in IEEE's project-grant model.
- IEEE Smart Village: A sister IEEE initiative delivering energy, education, and entrepreneurship solutions to remote communities. Shares the IEEE parent and humanitarian-engineering mission, but focuses more on energy access than the broader engineering-for-service scope of EPICS in IEEE.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
EPICS in IEEE social profiles
Digital presenceEPICS in IEEE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EPICS in IEEE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
EPICS in IEEE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EPICS in IEEE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about EPICS in IEEE
What does EPICS in IEEE do?
EPICS in IEEE runs a service-learning engineering program that funds university and high school student teams (with grants of US$1,000–$10,000 per project) to design and deploy community-focused engineering solutions in partnership with IEEE volunteer mentors and local non-profit/community organizations. Projects are organized in four core pillars—Access and Abilities, Environment, Education and Outreach, and Human Services—and the program is supported through IEEE Foundation-administered funding, IEEE society co-funding (AP-S COPE, IAS, IMS, IEEE SA), memorial funds, and themed competitions.
Is EPICS in IEEE a public or private company?
EPICS in IEEE is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was EPICS in IEEE founded?
EPICS in IEEE was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is EPICS in IEEE based?
EPICS in IEEE is headquartered in Piscataway, United States, in the North America region.
How does EPICS in IEEE make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Grant Awards are the primary driver. The others are donations and Fundraising.
Who are EPICS in IEEE's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EPICS (Purdue University), Engineers Without Borders USA, MIT D-Lab, Engineering for Change and Global Engineering Brigades (GB). Design for America is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are ASEE (American Society for Engineering Education) and IEEE Smart Village.
Does EPICS in IEEE have an API?
No public API is recorded for EPICS in IEEE.
What industry is EPICS in IEEE in?
EPICS in IEEE's product category is Engineering Education Non-Profit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAE, College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGADAH, Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 6117 and its SIC code is 8200.