PSU Research & Strategic Partnerships

What PSU Research & Strategic Partnerships does

PSU Research & Strategic Partnerships is the research and external-engagement arm of Portland State University (PSU), a public research university headquartered at 1825 SW Broadway in downtown Portland, Oregon, and a member of the Oregon University System. The institution was founded in 1955 as Portland State College and has grown into one of Oregon's largest universities, claiming to be the most affordable and most diverse public research university in the state and ranking among the Top 10 LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges nationally. The university offers more than 200 academic programs across nine colleges and schools — including Education, Liberal Arts & Sciences, the Arts, Urban & Public Affairs, Maseeh Engineering & Computer Science, the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, Social Work, Business, and the Graduate School — alongside an Urban Honors College.

The university's product surface is academic instruction and research output rather than commercial technology. Operationally, it runs on standard higher-education infrastructure: Canvas LMS, PSU Gmail, the myPSU portal, and adaptive technology resources provided through the Disability Resource Center. Strategic differentiation is delivered through a network of resource centers (Cultural, DREAMer, Disability, Queer, Native American, Veterans, Women's) and specialized programs such as BUILD EXITO, LSAMP, McNair Scholars, and TRIO Student Support. Distribution includes direct enrollment for Oregon residents and out-of-state students, online/distance learning, and a Higher Education in Prison program at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility that produced its first graduating cohort in 2026.

The business model blends tuition and mandatory fees (with a Tuition-Free Degree program for eligible Oregon residents), recurring state appropriations as a public research institution, grant-funded research, donations, and partner-funded financial aid such as TheDream.US scholarships of up to $33,000 per recipient. The target customer base spans prospective and current undergraduate and graduate students, transfer and returning students, student veterans, DREAMer/immigrant-origin students, students with disabilities, and women and gender-diverse students. Go-to-market is sales-led admissions (campus visits, applications, recruitment events) with a hybrid segmentation model across persona-driven student cohorts.

Name

PSU Research & Strategic Partnerships

Legal name

Portland State University

Website

https://pdx.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

PSU Research & Strategic Partnerships is the research and external-engagement arm of Portland State University, a public research university in downtown Portland, Oregon. It serves undergraduate and graduate students across 200+ programs and nine colleges, including partnership channels for DREAMer, veteran, and incarcerated learners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from undergraduate and graduate tuition, with specific programs for Oregon residents (Tuition-Free Degree) and out-of-state students.
2. State Funding: Public university funding from the state of Oregon as a designated public research institution.
3. Scholarships and Financial Aid: TheDream.US partnership provides up to $8,250 per year/$33,000 in tuition coverage for eligible Dreamer students, plus $500 quarterly stipends.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Portland State University is a public research university delivering undergraduate and graduate education across 200+ academic programs housed in 9 colleges and schools (including the College of Engineering, School of Business, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, and OHSU-PSU School of Public Health). Core offerings include the Tuition-Free Degree program for eligible Oregon residents, specialized programs for DREAMer/immigrant-origin students via TheDream.US partnership, and research commercialization through PROPEL PSU. Support services span the Disability Resource Center, Cultural Resource Centers, DREAMer Resource Center, Veterans Resource Center, and the Higher Education in Prison Program at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility.

Product overview

Portland State University (PSU) is a public research university offering academic programs, student services, and institutional resources. The source data covers university administrative and student support infrastructure including resource centers, academic buildings, cultural centers, and student services — not a commercial product or technology portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Academic Programs

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• TheDream.UScoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPSU is a Partner College of TheDream.US National Scholarship, the nation's largest college and career success program for undocumented immigrant youth. The partnership provides scholarships of up to $8,250/year ($33,000 total) for tuition and mandatory fees, plus $500 quarterly stipends for books and supplies. Over 10,000 scholarships have been awarded to Dreamers attending 80+ partner colleges in 20+ states and Washington, DC.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• University of Washington: Pacific Northwest flagship public research university. Broader incumbent in the same regional public higher-education market, with substantially larger research output and brand recognition.
• Arizona State University: Large public research university with a similar urban, access-focused, comprehensive-program strategy. Comparable as a model for scaling enrollment, online delivery, and broad workforce-aligned program mix.

Direct peers

• University of Portland: Private Catholic university located in Portland. Comparable as a Portland-based institution competing for the same metro student population, though it operates under a private tuition model rather than PSU's public model.
• Oregon State University: Oregon's land-grant public research university with comparable scale, multiple colleges, and STEM focus. Competes head-to-head with PSU for in-state students, federal research grants, and state appropriations.
• University of Oregon: Public research university in Oregon with comprehensive graduate programs. Directly comparable as a flagship in-state public research university competing for the same Oregon-resident tuition base and state funding pool.
• San Francisco State University: Urban public research university in California with comparable student demographics, diversity profile, and comprehensive program mix. Closest match for an urban-access-focused public research model.

Regional players

• Lewis & Clark College: Private liberal arts college located in Portland, Oregon. Comparable as a same-metro institution serving Portland-area students, though distinct in mission, scale, and tuition model.
• Reed College: Highly selective private liberal arts college in Portland. Comparable as a same-metro higher-education institution but serves a different student segment (private, residential, liberal-arts-focused).
• University of British Columbia: Major Canadian public research university in the Pacific Northwest corridor. Comparable in scale and research breadth but operates under a different national funding system and does not compete for Oregon-resident students.
• Washington State University: Pacific Northwest public research university with similar comprehensive program mix. Comparable as a regional peer serving a similar demographic and competing for research funding in the broader PNW corridor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/innovationpdx
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/PortlandStateU/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/portlandstatefans
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/portland-state-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/portlandstate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about PSU Research & Strategic Partnerships