University Outreach’s innovation Incubator is leading the way for innovation and creativity with the INspire Conference on Social Entrepreneurship on Friday, October 12, 2012.
And what a great line-up we are planning!
The speakers and topics of sessions were chosen to foster creativity, sustain positive technological and social innovation, and celebrate student and community successes. For example:
- Tunde Wey of Detroit will speak on Crowdfunding
- Glen Foyelle will hold a workshop on Design Innovation
- Phillip Jacks will speak about the Peace Mob Garden social movement and Urban Homesteading
- Flint’s BEST Project will help participants determine if they should start a not-for-profit
- Jason Kosnoski will lead a panel discussion: Social Change through Innovation and Organization
- Amy Gresock will moderate a panel discussion: Ask the Entrepreneurs – in various stages of start-up
- Traci Currie will lead a panel to discuss How to Creatively Take Your Art to the Masses
- Up to 10 local social entrepreneurs will give short presentations, or poster sessions, about how their work has impacted the community
The conference is being coordinated through the University Outreach Innovation Incubator [IN], with support provided by the CS Mott Foundation. University Outreach hosts programs that connect people to place, instill civic engagement, and help students think critically to discover how to participate in transforming their world.
The Innovation Incubator supports creativity and innovation to affect social progress. A good example of our constituency is PT HEART, a student-run pro-bono physical therapy clinic. UM-Flint physical therapy students volunteer their services to educate clients of the North End Soup Kitchen. The students have benefitted from the free workshops, networking opportunities, and co-working spaces of the Innovation Incubator that are also available to community members.
In the Innovation Incubator environment, learning and creativity can flourish, and expand into collaboration. Our participants are invited to enhance critical thinking skills; learn to manage conflict; experiment with design thinking; and collaborate to solve problems. More information about University Outreach and the incubator can be found on our website at www.umflint.edu/outreach/innovation-incubator