Illinois University Leadership Luncheon

Illinois has the research. The question is how much of it reaches the economy.

Every year, Illinois universities produce discoveries, technologies, and talent that could grow new companies and strengthen industries across the state. But the path from lab to market isn't automatic. It depends on the partnerships, pipelines, and decisions that connect university research to real-world impact.

This invitation-only convening brings together a select group of VPs of Research, tech transfer directors, faculty researchers, industry partners, and state leadership for a focused conversation: what's working, where the gaps are, and what Illinois needs to do next.

The data behind the conversation: ISTC's University Entrepreneurship Report

The program is built on new data. The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition's (ISTC) University Entrepreneurship Report tracks entrepreneurial activity across  Illinois institutions, drawing on information gathered from a survey administered to universities across the state. It examines:

Startup formation: how many companies are emerging from university research, and where

Startup Characteristics : the industries, product types, and  university technologies founders are innovating across

Startup Funding & Growth : where startups receive funding, and the programs available to support continued growth.

Guests will get an exclusive early look at the Report's key findings, presented by Kaday Kamara, ISTC's Program Manager for the Illinois Innovation Index. Every session that follows responds to what the data shows, from the panel to a facilitated lunch where attendees help define the path forward.

Event Agenda

9:30 AM: Breakfast & networking

10:00 AM: Welcome: Why Illinois Innovation Needs All of Us, with Kate Calabra, CEO, Illinois Science & Technology Coalition

10:10 AM: Remarks from BMO

10:15 AM: The State of University Innovation in Illinois, a University Entrepreneurship Report briefing with Kaday Kamara, Program Manager, Illinois Innovation Index, ISTC

10:35 AM: Panel: From Research to Economic Impact, moderated by Kate Calabra, CEO, ISTC

11:05 AM: Illinois Innovation Stories, moderated by Jacob Barry, Program Manager, Innovation, ISTC

11:35 AM: Facilitated lunch: What Comes Next for Illinois Innovation

12:30 PM: Close

​Interested in sponsoring a future ISTC event?

Reach out to Helen Abad, ISTC Director of Partnerships, at [email protected].