Kruu, Illinois Tech Set Up K2 Virtual Incubation Lab for Student Entrepreneurship

Kruu, the pioneering project-based learning platform, has announced a strategic collaboration with the renowned Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) to establish the K2 Virtual Incubation Lab. This global innovation lab is aimed at nurturing entrepreneurial thinking and real-world problem-solving among high school students globally.

The Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two institutions sets the foundation for a bold new direction in global education. This partnership brings together Kruu’s expertise in experiential learning and Illinois Tech’s legacy of experiential learning pedagogy in innovation, engineering, and technology-led entrepreneurship. At the heart of the collaboration is a shared belief in empowering students to think independently, build confidently, and innovate fearlessly.

“Illinois Tech is deeply committed to serving learning from K through Grade 12 by meeting learners where they are by providing them with an in-demand, relevant education. We are honored to be part of an initiative that will connect high school students worldwide with high-impact experiences,” said Mallik Sundharam, vice president for enrollment management and student affairs at Illinois Tech. “As we prepare to launch our academic campus globally, we are pleased to partner with Kruu to expand our capacity to deliver on Illinois Tech’s commitment to providing learners with an experiences-driven education that uniquely prepares them for the careers of the future.”

The K2 Virtual Incubation Lab will create a structured pathway for students to explore challenges rooted in science, technology, design, and society, while receiving direct mentorship from Illinois Tech’s faculty and experts. Students will be guided from ideation to pitch, with support from the innovation ecosystem of Illinois Tech’s Ed Family Kaplan Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship and the university’s flagship Interprofessional Projects (IPRO) program. The lab will also recognize top student ventures through joint certification and will open long-term pathways for further study and engagement at Illinois Tech and its global campus

This initiative will also support teacher development and training, helping educators bring project-based pedagogies into their classrooms with confidence and creativity. With plans for curated challenges, immersive workshops, and student showcases, the K2 Lab is designed to spark a culture of innovation that is inclusive, globally connected, and future-ready.

“This is more than a partnership. It’s a shared commitment to reimagining what education can and should be,” said Anil Srinivasan, founder and CEO of Kruu. “We are excited to join hands with Illinois Tech to bring the power of structured innovation to students who are ready to make a difference.”

With this collaboration, Kruu continues its mission of building powerful learning ecosystems across the world, where mentorship, access, and imagination converge to prepare the next generation of changemakers.