Marquette's Explorer Challenge is an annual competition that is integral toward promoting a campus-wide culture of innovation, fueled by entrepreneurial thinking, cross-campus participation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and external partnerships. Open to all members of the University community.

1. Marquette University
Explorer Challenge

2. Inspiration
 Vision – to be among the
most innovative and
accomplished Catholic and
Jesuit universities in the
world
 Challenge – unleashing
untapped potential
President Michael Lovell

3. Solution
Disruptive Process of the Explorer Challenge
 Students, faculty, and staff
eligible
 Open, iterative process
created by campus
stakeholders
 Interdisciplinary approaches
and community partnerships
encouraged

4. Explorer Challenge
First 3 Years
444
pre-proposals
267
final proposals
72 funded projects
with over 300
participants

5. Story 1 – Student Designed Innovation Space

6. 707 Hub
 Home to 27 student businesses
 Collaborations with all 11 schools and
colleges

7. Story 2
Commercial Rice in WI
 Rice in Wisconsin?
 Partnership with
Hmong community
 Student assistance with
business model

8. Red Stone Rice
 Year 1 – crop sold out at winter farmer’s market
 Year 2 – 3-4X increase in yield

9. Outcomes
 65% projects involve 2 or more
campus units
 37.5% collaborate with external
partners
Faculty
67%
Staff
18%
Student
15%

10. Outcomes
 Financial ROI > 1 (and growing)
 Adapted by two other universities
 New initiative: President’s Challenge
launched in 2018 with corporate partnership

11. Final Thought
“Over time our project became less and less about
the person with the original idea because the fund
and process (unexpectedly) helped to create roles
for others to be agents of change.”
- MU staff member