Utah Innovation Fund’s Post

In my latest article for Stanford Social Innovation Review, I check in with leaders from Oklahoma City and Tulsa to see how implementation of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant is going. Oklahoma was one of only two states to win multiple of these competitive grants, bringing in nearly $75 million. Oklahoma City is building a biotech hub, while Tulsa is creating an advanced mobility cluster—two important efforts that show the innovation and growth potential of a Heartland state not known for tech. As my article explains, both Tulsa and Oklahoma City are learning a lot about leadership, governance, DEI, and more as they implement this historic grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. #buildbackbetter #tulsa #oklahomacity #economicdevelopment #innovation #oklahoma

#SCIENCEinnovates As a prelude to SCIENCE Innovation Summit on June 6, I will be spotlighting our distinguished speakers using this hashtag. First up is Christian Vintergaard, who has served as CEO of Fonden for Entreprenørskab (Foundation for Entrepreneurship) since 2010. Additionally, from 2018 to 2023, he held the position of CEO for the Danish Technology Pact. When asked about his key messages for the SCIENCE Innovation Summit, Christian answers: “First and foremost, I look forward to participating and sharing my vision on how we can promote more startups through increased innovation among students and researchers. In my opinion, we should not perceive research and education as opposites to commercial exploitation, but rather as integrated elements with the potential to create cohesive solutions.” We look very much forward to Christian sharing insights drawn from his extensive experience in entrepreneurship, new technology, business strategy, economic growth, corporate governance, policy, and more.

We are thrilled to be one of the driving forces behind the Deep Tech SWITCH Conference NO, and we're excited to introduce you to the cream of the top excited to introduce you to the cream of the crop – the fantastic five finalists who will take centre stage in Viking Hall for our Pitch Final. These five exceptional startups stand out from over 50 applicants, making it a remarkable achievement. We are both humbled by the overwhelming interest and astounded by the high calibre of the startups vying for a spot in Viking Hall. Believe us when we say narrowing it down to five finalists was challenging. After intense deliberation and careful consideration, we proudly present the following five promising startups. They will be pitching their groundbreaking ideas in front of our esteemed investor panel and an eager audience of 200 attendees at the Switch Conference: 🌟 Kitemill and Co-Founder & CEO Thomas Hårklau 🌟 Sunphade and Founder Erik Rønneberg 🌟 Refacture and CEO Nick N. 🌟 Norsjór and Founder & CEO Amalie Eilertsen 🌟Silicon X and CEO Sigmund S. Kielland The Switch Conference is taking place on September 27 as a part of Oslo Innovation Week. The conference is fully signed, and we are looking forward to spending a day focusing on the fourth wave of innovation – Deep Tech! Thanks to the sponsors for making Viking Hall the best showroom for Norway's Deep Tech innovation! 🚀 Our main sponsor is Viken fylkeskommune, while Innovayt A/S and BDO are gold sponsors! The Switch Conference wouldn't be happening without your support 💥 #DeepTechEvent #StartupPitching #InvestorNetworking #Innovation Kjeller Innovasjon AS | Claes Gunnar Gunnarson | Kongsberg Innovasjon | Åsmund Lunnan Bjørnstad | Smart Innovation Norway | Tom Vito | Oslo Innovation Week

"The (#SiliconValley) ecosystem cannot be discussed only in abstraction, because it grew out of a specific regional context at a particular historical moment and developed hand-in-hand with particular technological opportunities and organizational experimentations. An understanding of this context is also critical for formulating strategies that can make use of various local environments [...] There is an acute disconnect between Silicon Valley’s role in domestic U.S. social issues and the strategic position of Silicon Valley with regard to industrial development and innovation policies for different regions around the world." 🎯 https://lnkd.in/dZx--S6w

Ideas light up spaces. Environments play a major role in the growth of any venture or idea. The BUildLab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center is the right space for bringing ideas to life and I feel special to be apart of this special initiative. Courtesy the Idea Incubator program, I will be supporting students and alumni via a novel project(yet to be announced). Other noteworthy events/ projects to check out are the Climate Innovation Challenge - https://lnkd.in/ecj9AqgJ and IDEACON - A one-day innovation extravaganza for students and recent grads to connect with fellow movers and shakers and experience entrepreneurship and leadership hands-on. https://lnkd.in/eT5fCDyY The world needs more innovators, critical thinkers and doers! #innovator #ideacon #climatechallenge #buildlab #innovate@bu  

Silcon Valley - Love or Hate? I often hear people complaining about it. What I love about this place is the relentless quest of problem-solving paired with breathtaking speed and determination. Things move insanely fast here. 🌪️ Why Silicon Valley Stands Apart? 1️⃣ 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼: Innovation here isn't just fast—it's transformative, fueled by audacious goals and an incredible drive to execute them. 2️⃣ 𝗔𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲: This is a place that's not just setting trends but architecting transformations the world will adopt years down the line. 3️⃣ 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Each visit feels like a masterclass in innovation, where every corner turned offers a new lesson. How do you see Silicon Valley compared to other global innovation hubs? 🤔

💼𝐔𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐝: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 & 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 Beneath the futuristic architecture and advanced labs of Science & Tech Parks lies a story that's rarely told: the monumental economic surge they catalyze. 🌆📈 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘂𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀; 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀. 💡 From creating thousands of high-quality jobs to attracting billion-dollar investments, the ripple effect of these parks extends far beyond their boundaries. They foster local SMEs, drive research, and spin out startups that become global giants. However, the real magic? It's the synthesis of innovation with commerce, turning groundbreaking ideas into lucrative ventures, and solidifying a nation's place in the global economic arena. 🚀 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. #EconomicRevolution #TechParkGrowth #ScienceMeetsEconomy #UntoldStories

A culture of innovation doesn’t happen overnight, but small, incremental changes can create powerful results. Join this upcoming TechTalk as they explore how startups can align their people, processes, and technology to accelerate innovation and build their resilience. Key Takeaways: - Gain insights from industry leaders on fostering innovation within startups. - Learn practical strategies to align your team, processes, and technology for maximum impact. - Discover how small changes can lead to significant results in building a resilient culture of innovation. Panel Speakers: Janine Wegner , Global Thought Leadership Strategy at Dell Technologies Kristian Rene, Founder and CEO at Kristian Rene LLC and Wunder Institute Monica Livingston, Head of the AI Center of Excellence at Intel 📆 2/8/24    ⏳ 11:30 am CST / 5:30 pm UTC  📌 Register Now! https://bit.ly/48Wt9n4 Dell Technologies #getWiseconnection #AIstrategies #WomenEntrepreneurs #digitaltransformation

🌱 The last two months have been incredible for GREEN14! We are happy to share some great summarizing updates from GREEN14 as we continue to make progress in sustainable technology and innovation. 🏆 We recently had the honor of participating in Vinnova's pitch event at Tech Arena in Stockholm, where GREEN14 was selected as one of the three winners to attend Hello Tomorrow in Paris. This opportunity to engage with industry leaders and visionaries is invaluable for our growth and development. 💡 Additionally, we are proud to announce that GREEN14 has been recognized as a semifinalist in SEMI's competition for startups focusing on sustainable semiconductors. Jennifer Ard, CFA from Intel Capital remarked, "The 2024 S3 program applicants were the most impressive we have seen to date." This recognition underscores our commitment to advancing sustainable technology solutions. 🌍 Hello Tomorrow has designated GREEN14 as a deep tech pioneer and selected us to participate in their startup program focusing on "New materials and circularity." This program will undoubtedly provide us with essential resources and networking opportunities to further our mission. 💰 Moreover, we are excited to share that Energimyndigheten has chosen GREEN14 as one of the seven startups for their investment accelerator program. This recognition reflects our potential to raise substantial funds in the international capital market, accelerating our impact in the sustainable technology sector. 🌱 Lastly, we are honored to be selected by Cleantech Scandinavia to participate in the Nordic Cleantech Open, highlighting GREEN14 as one of the 25 startups and scaleups in the competition. At GREEN14, we remain committed to pushing the boundaries of sustainable technology and look forward to the exciting opportunities ahead. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our journey towards a greener future! 💚 #SustainableTech #Innovation #Green14 #HelloTomorrow #CleantechScandinavia #Energimyndigheten #SEMI #Vinnova

💡 Meet Greg Tanaka, the driving force behind Palo Alto's transformation, at the #GENAISummitSF2024: genaisummit.ai 💡 As a key figure in the City of Palo Alto, Greg has been instrumental in shaping the city's vision for a sustainable and technologically advanced future. The city's commitment to environmental stewardship, social equity, and economic growth sets it apart from other municipalities. Under Greg's leadership, #Palo #Alto has become a hub for startups and established companies alike, attracting talent from around the world. His tireless efforts have earned him recognition as a champion of #civic #innovation. Don't miss this opportunity to hear his insights on harnessing technology for the betterment of society. #GENAISummit #PaloAlto #InnovationInAction #ai #artificialintelligence #airevolution #machinelearning #deeplearning #futureofai #techinvestment #technews #techstartup #techleaders #techtrend #technology #tech #SF #sanfrancisco