About the District
Our Mission
To unify the critical mass of talent, university resources, transformative technology, and cultural assets in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood to create a sustainable innovation ecosystem with global impact. PID is harnessing the area’s scientific and technical strengths into broad-based economic activity committed to fostering an inclusive innovation community for all.
Define, grow, and connect the Oakland innovation district: To reach its full economic potential for the city and region, the Oakland innovation district needs to be defined, marketed, and better connected to the regional economy. In particular, a comprehensive, district-wide strategy is needed to leverage the ongoing investments at CMU, Pitt, and UPMC to grow and attract firms in advanced industries.
Convene university anchors to facilitate synergy and collaboration.
Encourage cooperation between universities and industry to stimulate workforce development.
Provide workspace solutions to foster growth for startups and entrepreneurs.
Champion equitable use and development of District real estate.
Nurture community engagement and inclusivity to all District offerings and opportunities.
Innovation Excellence & World-Class Talent
These areas of research strength aren’t just relevant to academic rankings; they align well with economic opportunity.
Perhaps the strongest asset in Pittsburgh’s innovation economy is the size, quality, and scope of research. On a number of metrics, the region punches far above its weight.
$1 Billion
The Pittsburgh Innovation District is home to several colleges and universities and over $1 billion in university R&D.
273%
Produces 273% of its share of scholarly publications, outperforming the averages of many top R1 research institutions in fields like life sciences, robotics, gerontology, critical care, artificial intelligence, cell tissue engineering, neurotrauma, and software.
Top 10
The metropolitan area ranks ninth among the top 100 cities nationwide for the amount of university R&D.
The District as a Major Employment Center
The Pittsburgh Innovation District’s anchor institutions – Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, and UPMC – provide the neighborhood of Oakland with a significant employee base with approximately 19,500 people employed by the educational institutions and nearly 11,000 employed by the hospitals.
University of
Pittsburgh
Pitt faculty and staff are leading the world in developing cures and therapies for diseases, working with communities to battle the opioid epidemic, supporting small businesses, and building the future of advanced manufacturing.
- Generated $1.9 billion in economic impact
- More than 9,200 jobs supported and sustained
- Produced $53.8 million in state and local taxes
Carnegie Mellon
University
CMU is a leader in bringing groundbreaking ideas to market and creating successful startups. Their research, innovation and entrepreneurial activities have tremendous impact on economic vitality of the nation.
- 19,600+ jobs supported statewide
- $3.26 billion in economic impact across Pennsylvania
- $447 million in sponsored research funding
University of Pittsburgh
Medical Center
UPMC ranks among the top medical research institutions in the country, standing at the leading edge of research, developing the procedures, drugs, and devices of tomorrow’s medicine.
- Generated $46 billion in economic impact
- Directly supports more than 90,000 jobs
- $293 million in diverse business & procurement spending in 2021
Investing In
The Future
The Pittsburgh Innovation District is the region’s innovation epicenter and a premier source of talent and research.
The direct proximity and historic collaboration of Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, Carlow University, and UPMC creates a dynamic ecosystem primed for development and investment opportunities. Academic and medical institutions are also investing in campus innovation assets.
The Global Institute on Innovation Districts (GIID) defines innovation districts as geographic areas where leading-edge anchor institutions and companies cluster and connect with startups, business incubators, and accelerators. Innovation districts are transit-accessible, technically wired, and offer mixed-use housing, office, and retail.
“Few cities are home to such a naturally occurring innovation district as Pittsburgh’s Oakland Neighborhood…The 1.7 square-mile district constitutes one-third of the entire state of Pennsylvania’s university research and development output.”
Bruce Katz, Former Centennial Scholar, Brookings Institution
$3.1 Billion
Healthcare
active & future investment
$301 Million
Office
recently completed, active and future investment
$654 Million
University
on-campus innovation assets
$328 Million
Housing
recently completed, active and future investment
Work, Live & Play
The Innovation District has something for everyone.