On July 17th, 2024, young Innovators from the Midwest gathered in Champaign, Illinois for the Inclusive Innovators Summit. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the NSF I-Corps Hub: Great Lakes Region hosted the one-day conference to connect and inspire early-stage innovators and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Attendees of the Inclusive Innovators Summit
The Summit kicked off with a conversation with Molly Kocialski, Regional Director, Rocky Mountain United States Trademark and Patent Office (USPTO). Kocialski described her background to the innovators and explained how they can navigate their careers. Starting as an engineer, she recalled how one of her older colleagues excitedly shared his experience with getting a patent. This inspired Kocialski to become a patent attorney, and later work for the USPTO.
Molly Kocialski with Marissa Serio
As the talk continued, Kocialski turned her attention to the kinds of intellectual property (IP) innovators need to navigate their entrepreneurial journey. Patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets all play an important role in securing a startup’s commercial future. Artificial intelligence, a revolutionary and disruptive technology, affects IP considerations for companies and startups. Kocialski explained that the laws and regulations for AI are undeveloped and changing, and companies and startups must be able to adapt to a changing field.
Attendees gathered at the Siebel Center for Design
Later, innovators participated in a Pitch Crafting workshop. Hosted by Heidi Esther Marc Changnon, the workshop challenged participants to consider the best way to share their ideas. Later in the day, innovators got one-on-one practice delivering their pitch presentations.
Heidi Esther presenting the ‘Crafting Your Pitch to Tell Your Story’ workshop
Dr. Wanda E. Ward
Other presentations at the Summit included a keynote by Dr. Wanda E. Ward titled ‘Inextricably Interwoven Ingredients to Inclusive Innovation’. Closing the Summit was a presentation by Heather Aranyi. Throughout the day, diverse innovators discovered pathways to inclusive innovation and professional growth. The Great Lakes I-Corps Hub and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are excited to host events and foster the entrepreneurial spirit in the Midwest.
