STEMup Science and Technology Institute™ Announces Strategic Partnership with Virbela Launch Virtual Innovation Campus

Cutting-edge virtual world platform expands global reach for STEMup’s Theory-to-Action learning model for DSEs and Pittsburgh Innovators Apprenticeship (PIAP)

PITTSBURGH, PA, UNITED STATES, December 4, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- STEMup Science and Technology Institute™ today announced a major strategic partnership with Virbela, the global leader in enterprise virtual world environments. The collaboration will power STEMup’s Virtual Open Innovation Campus, a fully immersive online ecosystem designed to support worldwide learning, collaboration, and venture development. This represents the second cornerstone platform in STEMup’s long-term digital strategy and the expansion of the forthcoming STEMup Portal, which is set to launch in early 2026.

The Virtual Open Innovation Campus will deliver real-time, curated, and highly personalized experiences aligned with STEMup’s Dual-Theory methodology and Theory-to-Action Learning Framework. Built on the Virbela platform, the environment will support global networking, community engagement, and seamless delivery of Domain-Specific Education (DSE) content fully integrated with the Pittsburgh Innovators Apprenticeship Program (PIAP).
“Through Virbela, STEMup can engage learners, companies, and innovators around the world with seamless, high-fidelity interaction - while remaining exceptionally capital-efficient,” said Dr. Neil J. Campbell, Executive Chairman of STEMup. “This partnership enables us to scale our programming globally and replicate our city-region model across the U.S. and internationally.” Alex Howland, Founder and CEO of Virbela, commented, “We believe our partnership with STEMup will expand the use of Virbela in workforce development and higher education. STEMup’s Coop Model is a game changer for educational workforce development, and Virbela will be there to help deliver it”.

The partnership reinforces STEMup’s commitment to addressing structural workforce and innovation challenges - particularly the long-standing “chicken-and-egg” dilemma—through its Coop Model™, which simultaneously advances workforce development, venture creation, and venture growth.
The collaboration with Virbela will enable STEMup to:

• Deliver a fully customizable virtual campus supporting global collaboration, learning, and enterprise engagement

• Extend the reach of the STEMup Innosystem™, enabling seamless portability of its model beyond Pittsburgh

• Establish scalable, sustainable digital infrastructure to support future funding streams, partnerships, and expansion initiatives

About STEMup Science and Technology Institute™
STEMup Science and Technology Institute™ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Pennsylvania, dedicated to transforming regional workforce readiness, venture creation, and economic development. STEMup’s Coop Model™ integrates multi-generational workforce development with company formation and scaling, addressing the imbalance that has long hindered local economies. By educating, training, and supporting workers and companies together, STEMup ensures that as employers grow, they can hire fully workforce-ready individuals.
STEMup defines STEM broadly: any individual or organization using science or technology in their work is part of the STEM ecosystem. Join us in Reimagining Pittsburgh Together™ at www.stemuppgh.org.

About Virbela
Founded in 2012, Virbela creates immersive virtual worlds that enable organizations to collaborate, learn, and connect at scale. Trusted by Fortune 500 companies, universities, and global institutions, Virbela is redefining what’s possible in remote work, digital learning, enterprise networking, and virtual collaboration. Learn more at www.virbela.com.

The Coop Model, Innosystem, and Reimagining Pittsburgh Together are Trademarks of the STEMup Science and Technology Institute™.

neil campbell
STEMup Science & Technology Institute
ncampbell@stemuppgh.org
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