Explore the path to entrepreneurial success and positive societal impact for academic-driven innovations by Black faculty, graduate students, postdocs and other founders in deep tech and social sciences. 

Conference Highlights

Minding the Gaps <<>> Creating Opportunities

Mike Froman, Vice Chairman and President, Strategic Growth, Mastercard
Gabrielle Sulzberger, Senior Advisor, Two Sigma Impact; Trustee, Ford Foundation

Leadership: Driving Change and Giving Hope

Ken Chenault, Chairman and Managing Director, General Catalyst
Brent Henry, Member, Mintz 

Endnote Address

George French Jr., President, Clark Atlanta University

VC Panel Discussion

Ita Ekpoudom, Partner, GingerBread Capital

Perspectives on Academic Entrepreneurship and Diverse Innovation

Joseph DeSimone, Sanjiv Sam Gambhir Professor of Translational Medicine and Chemical Engineering, Stanford University

Check out the full two-day agenda | Register now

Read about all of our terrific speakers

Engage with experts across the three stages of university startups – starting, funding and scaling.

Network with fellow founders and investors in the commercialization of university-developed intellectual property.

Be sure to download the Whova conference app!

Celebrate with some of the nation's best academic spinouts during a pitch competition in which presenting companies will compete for significant cash and in-kind prizes.