by Husky Innovate, Pavlis Honors College
Husky Innovate is hosting innovation-themed events from Jan. 22-26. Innovation Week celebrates innovation and entrepreneurship at Tech and throughout our region. These events are a great way to connect with alumni, students, faculty and staff, and the community. Faculty, please share these opportunities with your students.
Check the Innovation Week 2024 webpage for full event descriptions. Pre-registration is required for each event. Join us for one event or several!
- Keynote Speaker:
Orbion’s Entrepreneurship Journey with Brad King
Monday, Jan. 22, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the MUB Alumni Lounge
Our keynote speaker, Brad King, Michigan Tech professor, CEO and co-founder of Orbion Space Technology in 2016, will share his journey as an entrepreneur and discuss how he and his team have addressed market demands and the challenges of scaling up.
Register now — Deadline: Jan. 19 - Reverse Pitch Presentation with Nate Yenor
Tuesday, Jan. 23, from 12-1 p.m. via Zoom
Nate Yenor, director of Tech Business Incubation with the Office of Innovation and Commercialization at Michigan Tech, will report top teams poised to launch their innovations into startups and recap how the new Entrepreneurial Fellows of NMU and MTU have been aiding other startups in the Michigan ecosystem.
Register now — Deadline: Jan. 22 - Impact Investing with John Soyring
Wednesday, Jan. 24, from 12-1 p.m. via Zoom
Impact investors seek both measurable positive societal or environmental impact as well as financial return. Does your startup have a social or mission? Join us for a talk with John Soyring ’76 ’06 (B.S. Electrical Engineering, Hon. Ph.D.). Soyring will lead a discussion about his experience as an angel impact investor, talk about how impact investing differs from more traditional investing, and discuss opportunities for both investors and startup companies.
Register now — Deadline: Jan 23 - 16th Bob Mark Business Model Pitch Competition
Wednesday, Jan. 24, MUB Ballroom A
Michigan Tech graduate and undergraduate students will pitch their business model for a chance to win cash prizes. This legacy event is a tribute to the late Professor of Practice Bob Mark. Faculty, staff, students, alumni and the community can attend in person or virtually. Refreshments will be served and a pre-event mixer will begin at 5 p.m.- Student contestants: Register now — Deadline: Jan. 22
- Audience attendees: Please join us in person, but if you are remote, join us via Zoom
- Careful Contracting for Startups
Thursday, Jan. 25, 12-1:30 p.m. in MUB Ballroom B
Learn strategies for careful contracting as you work with development and investment partners, and hear how investors evaluate your startup’s risk exposure. Ashley Sloat, president and director of Patent Strategy at Aurora Patents, will discuss everything you need to know, from engaging with an engineering firm to ultimately pitching to an investment group. Topics include IP ownership, assignment from engineering firm inventors back to you, how to avoid the traps of viral IP, and what investors want to see in your pitch deck.
Register now — Deadline: Jan. 22 - Enterprise Ventures with Len Switzer
Friday, Jan. 26, from 12-1 p.m. via Zoom
Len Switzer, Enterprise associate director, will discuss upcoming new venture opportunities with MTU’s Enterprise Program. Switzer was once Employee No. 3 of a startup company. Since that time, he has continued to work with startups, including via Enterprise. With a background in R&D, product management and operations, he will share his insight into the relationship between technical feasibility, product-market fit and manufacturability.
Register now — Deadline: Jan. 25