CAMPUS NOTICE

 

OFFICE OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR - RESEARCH

JANUARY 27, 2017


ALL ACADEMICS, STAFF AND STUDENTS AT UC SAN DIEGO

SUBJECT:    Campuswide Innovation Conference – February 22, 2017

I am very pleased to invite all members of the UC San Diego community join in a new campuswide conference celebrating entrepreneurship and innovation.

We are launching Ignite @ UC San Diego as a major annual conference to support local innovation and drive regional impact. Our goal is to bring the campus and regional communities together to share expertise, build engagement, and spark new ideas. This free, daylong event will be held Wednesday, February 22 at the Price Center.

At this year’s keynote session, you will have an opportunity to learn from breakout entrepreneurs like Scot Chisholm, CEO and co-founder of Classy, a fundraising platform for social-good organizations. The conference also will feature an innovation economy forum with senior leaders from around the region. Other highlights include 24-plus breakout sessions, three business idea “pitch” competitions, a startup fair featuring more than 30 company demonstrations, mentoring opportunities and a “startup crawl” to dive into downtown San Diego’s hottest companies.

Our campus community can participate in multiple ways, all free of charge:

REGISTER: UC San Diego faculty, students, alumni and staff are invited to register for the conference at http://ignite.ucsd.edu

COMPETE: Students and postdocs interested in testing business ideas can apply to one of the day’s competitions, including the Pitch @ Ignite, which offers up to $5,000 in prizes. Review guidelines and apply at http://go.ucsd.edu/2iKuS8H

EXHIBIT: The Startup and Resource Fair will showcase some of UC San Diego’s brightest minds. Campus startups and programs that provide services to the entrepreneurial community may apply at http://go.ucsd.edu/2iKv9ss

VOLUNTEER: For those who enjoy having impact behind-the-scenes, the conference welcomes volunteers for a variety of roles. From students to staff to alumni and retirees, the conference offers a unique opportunity to support UC San Diego’s “break it better” culture. Sign up at http://go.ucsd.edu/2iKAEr3

Ignite is a true cross-campus production co-hosted by the Office of Innovation and Commercialization and our student-run Entrepreneur Challenge. Sponsorship is provided by more than 20 UC San Diego departments and programs. For questions, please contact Briana Weisinger, UC San Diego startup advocate and conference chair, at ignite@ucsd.edu.

A full schedule of events and conference details can be found at http://ignite.ucsd.edu



Sandra A. Brown
Vice Chancellor for Research