PreScouter was founded in 2010 in Evanston, Illinois by four Northwestern University graduate students. The idea for the company was sparked by a seemingly avoidable tragedy in China (melamine milk scare - infants sickened with kidney problems) and the struggles of a Northwestern alumnus - an R&D Director at a medical device company - in accessing university research.

Over the past nine years, PreScouter has established a global network of aspiring and accomplished scientists, engineers, economists, analysts, and developers who share a common ambition: to apply their academic knowledge and problem-solving skills to challenges faced in industry. As the company has grown, having delivered over 4,000 projects to more than 500 clients, this global network has also grown to include over 2,500 SMEs and Advanced Degree Researchers from five continents, representing the top research universities in the world.