Events, learning, and connections to resources for campus entrepreneurs and innovators
UW’s Discovery to Product (D2P), the UW Innovate Network and community partners will offer inspiring stories, engaging events and practical tools to advance UW innovation and research during UW–Madison Innovate Week, October 10-14. More than 20 innovation- and entrepreneurship-focused organizations and programs will offer events, learning and networking opportunities, and connections to resources for faculty, students, and staff, including talks, panels, workshops, and a Resource Fair.
Programs range from panels featuring student startup founders to federal funding and training for UW researchers, faculty, and postdocs; a Resource Fair offering campus innovators “one stop shop” connections with more than 18 organizations and programs; sessions with accomplished alumni entrepreneurs and innovation professionals including Sydney Caine, Head of Industry, Health Systems at Google, Wes Schroll of Fetch Rewards, and Raj Rajamani, Chief Product Manager, SentinelOne; a case study in employee ownership and innovation at Madison’s Isthmus Engineering & Manufacturing cooperative; an overview of intellectual property for inventors; a class on transforming your “side hustle” into a small business; consultation office hours for healthcare innovators; and opportunities for students to connect with startup teams and learn about campus entrepreneurship competitions.
Innovate Week also includes the opportunity for UW-Madison students to attend the Wisconsin Biohealth Summit for free, and for anyone to attend the Wisconsin Innovation Awards at Memorial Union to cheer on the finalists (including UW-Madison spinoffs) and celebrate the winners.
Participating organizations and programs include BioForward Wisconsin, Center for Technology Commercialization, UW’s Discovery to Product (D2P) and the Innovate Network, Doyenne Group, Forward BIOLABS, Insight Wisconsin, Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR) – Dissemination and Implementation Launchpad, Isthmus Project/UW Health, Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic, Master of Science in Design + Innovation, School of Computer, Data and Information Sciences (CDIS), StartingBlock Madison, StartUp Learning Community, Transcend UW, UW Center for Cooperatives, UW Libraries, Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and the Wisconsin Technology Council and Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest.
“Innovate Week is one of the ways that Discovery to Product (D2P) and UW’s Innovate Network serve as the front door to UW-Madison’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Andrew Richards, director, D2P. “It’s a terrific opportunity for campus innovators to engage with a range of programs and resources to advance their ideas, and to hear first-hand from other faculty, student and alumni entrepreneurs.”
Event and registration information is available at https://innovate.wisc.edu/innovate-week/
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ABOUT DISCOVERY TO PRODUCT (D2P)
Discovery to Product (D2P) is the front door to UW–Madison’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, connecting faculty, staff, and students with the right resources at the right time. D2P’s Innovation and Commercialization Specialists provide mentorship, education, and guidance to support UW–Madison’s growing community of entrepreneurs and inventors.
ABOUT THE UW INNOVATE NETWORK The UW–Madison Innovate Network is a collaborative group of campus-based and campus-affiliated member organizations that work to achieve two common goals: Foster a strong culture of innovation and entrepreneurship on the UW–Madison campus and strengthen the connection between campus and the entrepreneurial support network in the greater Madison community. The Innovate Network is coordinated by UW Discovery to Product (D2P).