The mission of Princeton University will be brought to life in a new way through Engage 2020, the inaugural innovation and entrepreneurship conference scheduled for November 4-6, 2020. Presented by the Princeton innovation and entrepreneurship team and its campus partners, Engage 2020 will offer more than 50 live, online sessions of relevance to academia, business and industry, Princeton alumni, entrepreneurs, investors, foundations and the intellectually curious. The first of its kind at Princeton, the three-day conference is an initiative of Princeton’s first Vice Dean for Innovation Rodney Priestley.

In tandem with the virtual event, a new Princeton Innovation website, innovation.princeton.edu, provides resources and information to advance innovation and entrepreneurship on campus and with external collaborators.

“Engage 2020 aims to extend the benefits of Princeton's scholarly research and creativity beyond campus through innovation, entrepreneurship and partnerships,” said Priestley. “By bringing together members of the innovation ecosystem near and far, we can inspire connections and collaborations that will bring brilliant ideas to life and make a positive impact on society.”

Coleen Burrus, director of Corporate Engagement and Foundation Relations, and Anne-Marie Maman, executive director of the Princeton Entrepreneurship Council, are co-chairs of the conference.

In addition to robust programming for the entrepreneurially-minded and for Princeton faculty, researchers and collaborative partners, the conference will encompass:

• Celebrate Princeton Innovation, the popular annual event hosted by the Office of Technology Licensing to spotlight faculty innovators and their discoveries;
• The New Jersey Core Facilities Showcase, with sessions and exhibits presenting research services and equipment offered by academic institutions from around the Garden State; and
• Data Science in Oncology and Immunology, an in-depth workshop for industry partners and academic researchers to explore potential collaborations in the areas of biomedical data science, computational oncology and computational immunology.

“Events like Engage 2020 enable Princeton to bring University faculty members, researchers and students together with like-minded partners in the nonprofit, corporate and government sectors,” said Burrus. “Fostering these relationships and opening the doors to collaboration will help Princeton carry out its teaching and research mission and enhance the University’s service to humanity.”

Maman added, “Entrepreneurship is integral to bringing Princeton’s innovations to life so they can have a positive impact in real-world settings. Our faculty, researchers, students and alumni often translate their technologies and ideas into creative solutions and then launch new ventures; it’s happened in areas ranging from the life sciences to social justice to technology.”

Engage 2020 attendees will interact with Princeton scholars, inventors and entrepreneurs in fields such as energy and sustainability, bioengineering, art and architecture, and social impact. Through the online event platform, attendees will create their own schedules of presentations, panel discussions, keynote presentations and skill-building workshops. The dynamic virtual experience of Engage 2020 will give attendees the ability to connect with others and to visit exhibits about Princeton-related innovations and startup companies and Princeton Innovation campus partners.

There is no fee to attend the conference, which is open to the University community as well as the public. Learn more and register at innovation.princeton.edu/engage.