Cal Poly Pomona Launches AI and Innovation Center

Cal Poly Pomona Launches AI and Innovation Center

• By Rhea Kelly
• 03/10/25

In an effort to advance AI innovation, foster community engagement, and prepare students for careers in STEM fields and business, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona has teamed up with AI, cloud, and advisory services provider Avanade to launch a new Avanade AI & Innovation Center. Located in the university's Innovation Village research park, the facility will serve as a center for AI research, collaboration, and learning, and bridge the gap between academia and industry, according to a news announcement.

The center has already hired recent Cal Poly Pomona graduates as its first five team members, and plans to provide more real-world opportunities for students and alumni in the coming years. It will host AI-applied research groups, sponsor student events such as hackathons and workshops, showcase cutting-edge innovations, and share industry trends, the announcement said.

The university has previously worked with Avanade to establish a number of initiatives aimed at preparing students to be future-ready, including the Mitch Hill Center for Digital Innovation, Avanade Scholarship program, and FUEL conference.

"The Avanade AI & Innovation Center is a testament to our continued commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders with the skills and experiences they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving tech landscape," said Gord Mawhinney, Americas president at Avanade, in a statement. "Through our decade-long partnership with Cal Poly Pomona, we are not only advancing AI innovation but also together creating opportunities for underserved communities to access technology and career pathways."

"This partnership with Avanade exemplifies our mission to foster innovation, inclusion, and excellence in preparing our students for career success. By combining our academic expertise with Avanade's industry leadership, we are creating a platform that empowers our students and faculty to shape the future of AI and harness its transformative power responsibly," commented Cal Poly Pomona President Dr. Soraya M. Coley. "We stand at the precipice of the future, and it will take the brightest minds working at the world's preeminent companies to ensure a better future for all, and that is why we are honored to be partnering with Avanade."