The Huddle
Explores innovative initiatives, ideas resources in our region
Upcoming Huddles:
May 16, 2024: Food & Ag Tech
December 5, 2024: Human Health • February 27, 2025: Computing
The Huddle is an invitation-only, virtual speaker series that explores and connects our network with technology-enabling initiatives, ideas and resources in the Midwest/Great Lakes region.
Target Audience: Leaders interested in our region’s ecosystem and opportunities.
Past Presenters:
ClearFlame Engine Technologies: BJ Johnson, Co-founder and CEO; Chain Reaction Innovations at Argonne National Lab: Dick Co, Director; Activate Anywhere: Calvin Cupini, Senior Investment Manager, Activate; Impact Science Ventures: Robert Ethier, Co-founder and Managing Partner; Newlab Detroit: Carlos Trevino, Vice President, Products and Programs, Newlab; Hack OHI/O: Cal King, Program Director, OHI/0, The Ohio State University; Nomadic Venture Partners: Batchimeg Ganbaatar, Managing Partner; Foothill Ventures: Eric Rosenblum, Managing Partner; NuVention: AI: David Zaretsky, instructor (also Chief Scientist and Founder, Snips Media; Assistant Chair and Associate Professor of ECE at Northwestern University) • Block Center for Technology and Society: Steve Wray, Executive Director • Columbus Dispatch: Mark Williams, Business Reporter • Rockwell Automation: Kyle Crum, Director, Advanced Technology • OSF Healthcare: Kip McCoy, Vice President, Innovation Studio • Medical Alley: Filip Kostal, Startup Principal • Portal Innovations: E.J. Reedy, Director, Platform and Ecosystem • University of Wisconsin - Stout: Seth Hudson, Executive Director, Corporate Relations and Economic Engagement, UW-Stout Discovery Center; Aaron Bialzik, Director, UW-Stout Manufacturing Outreach Center (MOC) • University at Buffalo: Richard Kim, Director of Startup Ventures • MxD: Jela Trask, Senior Director, Product Strategy • Grand Farm: Brian Carroll, Director • Ag Startup Engine: Kevin Kimle, Co-Director (also Rastetter Chair of Agricultural Entrepreneurship at Iowa State University) • DIAL (Digital Innovation in Agri-Food Systems) Ventures: Allan Gray, Executive Director • gener8tor: Troy Vosseller, Co-Founder • Illinois AgTech Accelerator: Jack Marck, Managing Director • Realta Fusion: Kieran Furlong, CEO • Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E): Sam Wurzel, Technology to Market Advisor, Fusion Energy Programs • University of Illinois: Kiruba Haran, Engineering/CS Professor (also NSF POETS ERC Center Director, and Hinetics LLC Founder/CTO) • Cantos VC: Andrew Kirima, Analyst • Galvin Center for Electricity Innovation Zuyi Li, Associate Director (also Illinois Institute of Technology Engineering Professor) • Argonne National Laboratory Chain Reaction Innovations: Dick Co, Director • Evergreen Climate Innovations. Allie Gross, Program Manager • International Academy of Automation Engineering: Mary Bunzel, Executive Director (also Intel Manufacturing IOT Council Leader) • Arieca: Phil Marzolf, Chief Commercialization Officer (also Adjunct Professor, Carnegie Mellon University and Entrepreneur in Residence, University of Pittsburgh) • Mason Wells: Asif Naseem, Executive Operating Partner (also M+ Vision Visiting Fellow, MIT; Adjunct Professor, Michigan State University) • Super.tech Labs: Pranav Gokhale, CEO and Co-Founder • Midwest Quantum Collaboratory: Mack Kira, Director (also Professor of Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan) • Chicago Quantum Exchange: Kate Waimey Timmerman, Executive Director • The Heritage Group Accelerator. Nida Ansari, Managing Director • High Alpha Innovation. Matthew Brady, Managing Director • Mentors in Tech (MinT). Kevin Wang, Founder • Wichita State: Tonya Witherspoon, Associate Vice President, Industry Engagement and Applied Learning • Deloitte: Michael Schlotterbeck, Smart Factory Senior Manager, for the Smart Factory @ Wichita collaboration • Michigan State: Rich Chylla, Past Chair, AUTM and Executive Director MSU Technologies • Whirlpool Corp: Leonel Leal, Director, Global Advanced Manufacturing Engineering • HG Ventures: Ginger Rothrock, Senior Director • Ironspring Ventures: Ty Findley, Managing Partner • Hub88: Kenn Miller, Founding Chairman • AlphaLab Gear: Matt Virlinich, Senior Program Manager, Manufacturing Programs • Creative Destruction Lab: Matthew Platt, Global Venture Recruitment Lead • Carnegie Mellon: Reed McManigle, Mentor in Residence; Senior Manager, Business Development and Licensing
For more information, or to discuss an invitation to attend, contact:
Kathleen Gallagher, 5 Lakes Institute Executive Director: kathleen@5lakesinstitute.org
Tim Honaker, Midwest University Research Network (MRUN) President: thonaker@mrun.us