The United States produced just under 46,000 graduates from science and technology doctoral programs in 2024, an increase of only 12.8% since 2014[1]. This slow growth is not enough to compete with China's fast-growing sector and to cover the needs in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum science, biotechnology, advanced materials and chemistry[1]. The solution is not to replace existing doctoral programs, but to create a new specialized STEM innovative doctoral program[1]. This four-year program would involve deep collaboration with the private sector, with students immediately entering a structured research project with clear milestones developed by the faculty in consultation with an industry partner[1]. During the second and third years, students would complete two to three month internships in companies aligned with their research[1]. This model is inspired by successful academic-industrial programs in Germany, France and the USA[1]. A properly implemented STEM innovation doctoral program should enable students to prepare faster for the research ecosystem that they will shape in the future[1].