WEDC Secretary John Miller Discusses Wisconsin Innovation Ecosystem

We are proud to announce that Joe Tannery has been named the new Executive Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the George Mason University – Costello College of Business. An innovation expert and entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience across the private sector, academia, and startups, Joe brings a diverse background and a strong record of impact to this role. His experience includes leading corporate innovation strategy at Dominion Energy and serving as Founder and CEO of GRIDIZEN, a mission-driven clean energy venture focused on expanding public participation in sustainability and demonstrating how innovation can create measurable societal value. Over the past four years, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship George Mason University has continued to evolve during a period of transition, aligning its programming with the strategic priorities of the Costello College of Business and sharpening its unique focus on experiential learning and social impact. The appointment of a new executive director marks an important milestone for the center and positions it to reach its full potential in this next chapter. Under Joe’s leadership, the center is poised to expand the reach and impact of its programs, cultivate entrepreneurial mindsets, fuel venture creation, help bridge resource gaps within the innovation ecosystem, and strengthen support systems for startups and social enterprises of the future. "Our goal is to make the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship a trusted partner for organizations looking to solve difficult challenges and shape the future," says Tannery. "By building bridges between the university, industry, government, and local community, we can create valuable pathways for innovation, strengthen the regional ecosystem, and generate lasting economic and societal impact." Please join us in welcoming Joe Tannery to the Costello College of Business and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. 🎉 👏 #CostelloMeansBusiness #CostelloCollegeOfBusiness #GeorgeMasonUniversity #innovation #entrepreneurship #sustainability #ExperientialLearning #SocialImpact

💡 New York's innovation economy grows when entrepreneurs have the resources to turn breakthrough ideas into real-world solutions. Round 5 of NYSTAR's Innovation Matching Grants program will help four New York small businesses commercialize cutting-edge technologies. Since launching in 2024, the program has received more than 200 applications and awarded nearly $11 million to 88 businesses, helping startups bridge the gap between research and the marketplace while strengthening New York's leadership in innovation and technology. Learn more: https://on.ny.gov/4f4ZvQW

Building ChemFinity in NYC has brought us so many benefits. We're excited to be one of four New York companies selected by Empire State Development for their Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) Innovation Matching Grants program! This funding will build on our existing SBIR award through Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) RECOVER Program, enabling us to leverage both state and federal support as we commercialize our low-cost, domestic critical mineral recovery processes from right here in New York!

Early-stage innovation does not get funded because an idea sounds exciting. It gets funded when the problem is clear, the path is credible, and the founder can explain why the solution matters. Dr. Brian Grimberg advises entrepreneurs to begin with the basics: identify a real problem, understand who will pay to solve it, and build a clear plan for a minimum viable product. “Before you ask anyone for money, make sure you have a solution to a problem that people care about.” That is the difference between creativity and fundable innovation. Investors are not only backing ideas. They are backing clarity, commitment, market understanding, and the founder’s ability to turn possibility into progress. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/eVRth4zD

Still buzzing from this one. 🥉 🥰 I'm proud to share that PomoLog, my Pomodoro-based time tracker app, took home the $1,000 Innovation Award at the Ara Hua | Idea2Impact Winter26 pitch night. Eight weeks ago, PomoLog was just an idea I believed in. This programme pushed me to test that belief against reality: talking to real users, questioning my assumptions, and rebuilding my value proposition more than once. A few things that stuck with me: 1. Customer validation isn't a box to check. It's the thing that tells you if you're building something people actually want. 2. A good idea and a good business are not the same thing. The gap between them is where the real work happens. 3. Pitching is a skill, not a talent. You get better every time you're forced to say it out loud in front of people who ask hard questions. 🙂 None of this would've happened without Sabrina Nagel's guidance through the whole programme, or the mentors and judges who gave their time and honest feedback along the way. And congratulations to the rest of the Winter26 cohort; it was genuinely inspiring to watch everyone's ideas take shape over the past few weeks. #AraHua #Idea2Impact #Commercialisation #Entrepreneurship #AUTuni #Innovation

Backing tomorrow's innovators starts long before success becomes visible. 💡    Today’s Alumni Spotlight features Inga vom Holtz, #BCG alumna and Director Startups & Investments at UnternehmerTUM.    Named "Investor of the Year 2025" by the German Startup Association and Handelsblatt, Inga supports founders at one of the most critical moments of their journey: the very beginning. By backing ambitious early-stage deep tech ventures, she helps transform breakthrough ideas into tomorrow’s businesses.    Before joining UnternehmerTUM, Inga spent several years at BCG. Today, she combines strategic thinking, corporate experience, and a passion for innovation to help founders navigate the challenges of scaling deep tech companies.    Her work also reflects something we strongly believe at BCG: breakthrough innovation doesn't happen in isolation. It thrives where entrepreneurs, investors, industry, and research come together.    That's why we're proud to collaborate with #UnternehmerTUM to help strengthen Germany's innovation ecosystem and support the next generation of founders turning bold ideas into real-world impact.    ➡️ Want to learn more about Germany's deep tech potential? Find our latest joint report with UnternehmerTUM here: https://lnkd.in/d-YCmEtj     #BCGAlumni #DeepTech #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #BCGinCentralEurope 

Canberra Innovation Network - First Wednesday Connect (July 1, 2026) - Great pitch lineup. But what I’ll remember most happened after the formalities: the conversations around entrepreneurship, innovation, and the bigger questions underneath it all about our lives! The best chats weren’t just “what are you building?” They were about: 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: what we’re really creating through our work, beyond titles and optics. 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: how to build teams with more trust, flexibility, and humanity - without losing performance or accountability. 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆: a tool to create better options, not the only scoreboard. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟵-𝘁𝗼-𝟱 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹: a legacy system that feels increasingly obsolete as outcomes, autonomy, and wellbeing become non-negotiable. 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: it’s here to stay. We can embrace it and use it well, ignore it, or resist it - and the first path is the one that wins. Leaving the event, the biggest takeaway wasn’t a single pitch. It was the reminder that innovation isn’t just tech or startups. It’s redesigning how we live, work, and decide what matters most. 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀: 𝗧𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗲, 𝗢𝗖𝗥𝗧 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 M𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗸𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 E𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝘀, 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝘀 A𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘆, 𝗨𝗡𝗦𝗪 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗵𝘂𝗯 S𝗮𝗺 𝗛𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗺, 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝘀 H𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀 𝗣𝗹𝘂𝘀 N𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗔𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀, 𝗔𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦 O𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗭𝘂𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗱 H𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹, 𝗚𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗡 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 #Canberra #CanberraBusiness #CanberraStartups #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #cindogmedia #CBRIN

Canberra Innovation Network - First Wednesday Connect (July 1, 2026) - Great pitch lineup. But what I’ll remember most happened after the formalities: the conversations around entrepreneurship, innovation, and the bigger questions underneath it all about our lives! The best chats weren’t just “what are you building?” They were about: 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: what we’re really creating through our work, beyond titles and optics. 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: how to build teams with more trust, flexibility, and humanity - without losing performance or accountability. 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆: a tool to create better options, not the only scoreboard. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟵-𝘁𝗼-𝟱 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹: a legacy system that feels increasingly obsolete as outcomes, autonomy, and wellbeing become non-negotiable. 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: it’s here to stay. We can embrace it and use it well, ignore it, or resist it - and the first path is the one that wins. Leaving the event, the biggest takeaway wasn’t a single pitch. It was the reminder that innovation isn’t just tech or startups. It’s redesigning how we live, work, and decide what matters most. 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀: 𝗧𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗲, 𝗢𝗖𝗥𝗧 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 M𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗸𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 E𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝘀, 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝘀 A𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘆, 𝗨𝗡𝗦𝗪 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗵𝘂𝗯 S𝗮𝗺 𝗛𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗺, 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝘀 H𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀 𝗣𝗹𝘂𝘀 N𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗔𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀, 𝗔𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦 O𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗭𝘂𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗱 H𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹, 𝗚𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗡 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 #Canberra #CanberraBusiness #CanberraStartups #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #cindogmedia #CBRIN

Canberra Innovation Network - First Wednesday Connect (July 1, 2026) - Great pitch lineup. But what I’ll remember most happened after the formalities: the conversations around entrepreneurship, innovation, and the bigger questions underneath it all about our lives! The best chats weren’t just “what are you building?” They were about: 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: what we’re really creating through our work, beyond titles and optics. 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: how to build teams with more trust, flexibility, and humanity - without losing performance or accountability. 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆: a tool to create better options, not the only scoreboard. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟵-𝘁𝗼-𝟱 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹: a legacy system that feels increasingly obsolete as outcomes, autonomy, and wellbeing become non-negotiable. 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: it’s here to stay. We can embrace it and use it well, ignore it, or resist it - and the first path is the one that wins. Leaving the event, the biggest takeaway wasn’t a single pitch. It was the reminder that innovation isn’t just tech or startups. It’s redesigning how we live, work, and decide what matters most. 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀: 𝗧𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗲, 𝗢𝗖𝗥𝗧 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 M𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗸𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 E𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝘀, 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝘀 A𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘆, 𝗨𝗡𝗦𝗪 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗵𝘂𝗯 S𝗮𝗺 𝗛𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗺, 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝘀 H𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀 𝗣𝗹𝘂𝘀 N𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗔𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀, 𝗔𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦 O𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗭𝘂𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗱 H𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹, 𝗚𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗡 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 #Canberra #CanberraBusiness #CanberraStartups #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #cindogmedia #CBRIN

🤝 INNOX Innovation Centre × Fors Project 🚀 A New Strategic Collaboration in Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and International Cooperation We are pleased to announce a strategic collaboration between Innox Innovation Center and FORS Project, aimed at strengthening the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem, supporting the growth of startups, and creating new opportunities for international cooperation. Through this collaboration, we will jointly develop and implement initiatives designed to enhance entrepreneurial capacity, foster innovation, and build stronger connections between startups, institutions, and international ecosystem stakeholders. 🎯 Key areas of collaboration include: 🔹 Design and implementation of acceleration and development programs for startups 🔹 Delivery of tailored training and mentoring programs 🔹 Development and implementation of international projects and joint initiatives 🔹 Establishment of new partnerships with international institutions and ecosystem stakeholders 🔹 Promotion of knowledge exchange, experience sharing, and best practices across entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems Through this collaboration, Innox Innovation Center and FORS Project will combine their expertise and networks to develop sustainable, high-impact initiatives in entrepreneurship, innovation, and international cooperation. 🌍🚀 Together, we look forward to empowering entrepreneurs, fostering innovation, and creating lasting value at the international level. #FORSProject #InnoxInnovationCenter #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #Collaboration