The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) is where emerging technology meets creativity. The MIAD Innovation Center is the college’s hub that fosters innovative and entrepreneurial thinking and making to challenge our students’ individual interests, support academic programming and collaborate with corporate and nonprofit partners.
The MIAD Innovation Center develops innovators through three unique approaches to engagement:
Incubation – provides a common space open to all students, regardless of major, to experiment, develop and generate creative ideas, projects and methodologies.
Collaboration – supports students to come together and explore opportunities to collaborate outside of structured courses, while providing corporate clients, nonprofits and innovative industry leaders opportunities to work with students and provide students with real-world, hands-on experience.
Education – engages students and the community in ongoing educational seminars, discussions and demonstrations on inspiring topics and ideas, innovative methodologies, the entrepreneurial spirit, legal issues, market understanding and social and cultural diversity.

“Our work with the students at the MIAD Innovation Center was an incredible experience. Students were full of energy and certainly not afraid to venture into the new territories that our path took. I was most impressed with the creativity of each student and how diverse their finished products were from one another – well beyond my expectations.”
– Ken Matthews, owner of ink360, following a project to design labels for 360° bottle printing
“I’m really impressed not only with the creative process, but the approach and questions the students ask. Their questions are helping me figure out my brand voice.”
– Garrett Laugavitz, entrepreneur and founder of Ginger Guard sunscreen, following a project where MIAD students helped him establish his brand through logo design, animations and a web presence
MIAD Innovation Center Latest News
- Milwaukee Business Journal, March 7, 2019: “MIAD Innovation Center brings student creations to market”
- Milwaukee Business Journal, March 7, 2019: “Slideshow: MIAD invests in technology and innovation”
Contact the MIAD Innovation Center
For inquiries about tours, collaborative projects and educational programming, contact:
- Drew Maxwell, MIAD Innovation Center Executive Director, drewmaxwell@miad.edu, 414.847.3317
For inquiries about supporting the MIAD innovation Center, contact:
- Tracy Milkowski, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, tracymilkowski@miad.edu, 414.847.3239
For media inquiries, contact:
- Stacey Steinberg, Executive Director of Marketing & Communication, staceysteinberg@miad.edu, 414.847.3236
Contact the MIAD Innovation Center
Learn how we can help you on your next project. Call Drew Maxwell, Executive Director, at 414.847.3317 or email by clicking the button below.