PFI (Conference): Workshop on Diversity in Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation (Conference) project will be on the engagement of about 200 participants from local community colleges and underrepresented backgrounds to learn about concepts, processes and skills for business, innovation, and entrepreneurship as well as inclusive practices, and on creating a template for a scalable platform to foster inclusion and innovation and inspire future entrepreneurs and innovators. The results of the project will be disseminated through presentations and conference and journal publications. The proposed project will develop a roadmap for inclusive technology development and commercialization. Participants will build knowledge in invention, innovation, technology transfer and entrepreneurship and will learn these skills in the spirit of inclusive innovation practices. We envision this workshop as the first in a series that will mitigate barriers to participation, enable a more inclusive innovation ecosystem and serve as a platform in the preparation and development of future entrepreneurs from diverse groups. The project team is uniquely qualified to offer activities geared towards equitable access and diversification of participation in innovation and entrepreneurship. The evaluation plan will measure outcomes and provide data related to the participants and activities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.