Innovation Summit 2019

Lever’s Innovation Summit 2019 – October 3 and 4, 2019

Overview

Lever will organize a 2-day Innovation Summit to take place in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The Summit will engage entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, business leaders and students with a multi-faceted program that will emphasize innovation as an engine of economic growth. We expect about 300 participants.

Objectives

Affirm that the Berkshire, Massachusetts region remains an innovation leader.
Highlight continuous innovation and its importance for a vibrant regional economy.
Promote a collaborative environment among Berkshire region companies.
Highlight the teachings of Pittsfield natives Donald and Armand Feigenbaum and their influence on contemporary innovation practices.
Provide students at regional colleges the opportunity to participate, learn and network.
Increase awareness of Lever’s innovation programs and other regional innovation support resources.

About Lever

Founded in 2014, Lever’s mission is to develop a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Berkshire region. It supports entrepreneurs with expertise, work space, an investment fund, research, mentors, and access to talent. Lever has helped launch dozens of companies that have attracted more than $7M in equity investment. To date, Lever-supported companies have created more than 150 jobs. Lever’s intern program has placed more than 115 college students in paid internships at Berkshire County companies, many of whom have gone on to enter the permanent workforce here.

Program

Thursday October 3, 2019

2pm: Final pitches for Lever’s 2019 Intrapreneur Challenge – (new) Williams Inn

5pm: Reception: Williams Inn

7:30pm: Keynote presentation by Steve Case , CEO of Revolution – Williams ’62 Center

8:30pm: Announce winner of 2019 Intrapreneur Challenge – Williams ’62 Center

Friday October 4, 2019

8:00am: Continental breakfast and networking – Williams Inn

9:00am: Regional Innovation – Williams Inn

Currency Innovation Doug Crane, the New Dalton Group
High Performance Glass Laminates Chris Kapiloff, Laminated Technologies, Inc
Management Innovation and the Legacy of the Feigenbaums Jeffrey Thomas, Lever
Design meets Medical Garments Josh Levin, LympheDivas
Special FX meets Medical Models Lisa Chamberlain, The Chamberlain Group
Hotel Innovation Ben Svenson, TOURISTS
Full Living Buildings Charley Stevenson, Integrated EcoStrategy

12pm: Lunch and Keynote Presentation (Co-hosted by the Berkshire Business Roundtable) – Williams Inn

(AT CAPACITY: We are no longer accepting RSVP’s for this event)

Welcome and introduction, Pat Begrowicz, Onyx Specialty Papers
Keynote Presentation, Carlo Zaffanella, General Dynamics Mission Systems

1:30pm: Regional Innovation Centers : Panel Discussion – Williams Inn

Moderator: Carin Cross, FreshTracks Capital (Burlington, VT)
Panelists:
- Steve Boyd – Berkshire Innovation Center, Pittsfield
- Kristen Leutz – Valley Venture Mentors, Springfield
- Thad Casey – Tech Valley Center of Gravity, Troy
- Peter Reinhart – Institute of Applied Life Sciences, Amherst

3:00pm: Networking and Reception – The Log