Call for Proposals: VentureWell Innovation in Action Summit 2025 (US)

This new transformative event is designed to build meaningful partnerships that drive collaboration in higher education, highlighting the power of innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) within STEM ecosystems. The VIA summit represents a journey of discovery—where new ideas, collaborations, and solutions take shape.

This conference connects higher education with industry and government to advance innovations, prepare future leaders, and strengthen research & development (R&D) efforts to translate research into real-world impact. As they chart the routes of innovation together, “VIA” becomes a powerful symbol, guiding attendees through the innovation ecosystem and inspiring the creation of impactful partnerships along the way.

Focus Areas

• They are accepting proposals within the following five areas of focus:
  • Synergy in Action: Bridging Audiences for Ecosystem Growth
    • Explore strategies for building strong partnerships between higher education, industry, and government. This track will highlight successful collaborations, showcase ecosystem models, and provide tools for creating sustainable innovation networks.
    • Effective collaboration: Discover case studies showcasing successful partnerships among universities, businesses, and government to drive innovation.
    • Successful ecosystem models: Explore diverse models that illustrate how stakeholders can collaborate for sustainable economic growth.
    • Practical tools for growth: Access tools and frameworks to build and maintain dynamic partnerships across sectors, fostering innovation.
  • Teach to Innovate: Redefining STEM I&E Education
    • Focus on the latest trends and best practices in developing I&E curriculum and programs.
    • Sessions will cover everything from integrating I&E into traditional disciplines to designing programs that align with industry and government needs.
    • Emerging trends: Explore best practices for developing innovative curricula that reflect the evolving landscape of innovation and entrepreneurship.
    • Cross-disciplinary integration: Learn to integrate entrepreneurship into traditional disciplines, enhancing student skills and fostering a culture of innovation.
    • Industry alignment: Discover strategies for designing programs that meet industry and government needs, preparing graduates and faculty for real-world challenges.
  • Funding & Policy Powerhouse: Government’s Role in Shaping the Future of I&E
    • Explore how government policies, funding, and partnerships can accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education. Learn from policymakers and experts about leveraging government strategies to support ecosystem growth and drive impactful change across audiences
    • Government policies: Examine how effective government policies can create a supportive environment for innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education.
    • Funding opportunities: Discover funding sources and strategies that can accelerate I&E initiatives, helping institutions to implement impactful programs.
    • Partnerships for ecosystem growth: Learn from policymakers and experts about building partnerships that leverage government strategies to drive innovation and foster collaboration across sectors.
  • Collaborative Breakthroughs: Case Studies in Industry-Academia Innovation
    • Highlights how industry and academia can collaborate to drive innovation. Learn strategies for building partnerships, aligning industry needs with research, and creating impactful programs. Engage with experts to uncover new opportunities for advancing educational and industry goals.
    • Successful partnership strategies: Discover effective approaches to building collaborations between industry and academia that drive innovation and research alignment.
    • Aligning industry needs with research: Learn how to identify and address industry needs through targeted research initiatives, creating mutually beneficial outcomes.
    • Engagement with experts: Interact with industry and academic leaders to uncover new opportunities for advancing both educational and industry objectives through collaborative programs.
  • Bold Innovations: Pioneering New Research & Programs to Advance I&E
    • Explore groundbreaking research and transformative programs that are shaping the future of I&E. This session will highlight bold initiatives that push boundaries, showcase successful case studies, and provide insights into how emerging trends are driving impactful change across higher education, government, and industry
    • Groundbreaking research: Discover innovative research initiatives that are redefining the landscape of innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education.
    • Transformative programs: Learn about emerging programs that effectively tackle current challenges and opportunities in I&E, leading to significant outcomes.
    • Strategies for advancement: Engage with thought leaders to explore actionable strategies and new opportunities for enhancing the effectiveness of innovation and entrepreneurship within your institution or organization.

Eligibility Criteria

• Synergy in Action: Bridging Audiences for Ecosystem Growth/Bold Innovations: Pioneering New Research & Programs to Advance I&E
  • The target audience is faculty, university staff, administration, researchers, industry experts, and government officials.
• Teach to Innovate: Redefining STEM I&E Education
  • The target audience is faculty, staff, researchers, and university administration.
• Funding & Policy Powerhouse: Government’s Role in Shaping the Future of I&E
  • The target audience is local, state, and federal government officials; government researchers; procurement experts; and policymakers.
• Collaborative Breakthroughs: Case Studies in Industry-Academia Innovation
  • The target audience is faculty, university leadership, industry experts, and researchers.

For more information, visit VentureWell.