Virginia Tech will host the inaugural Tech Entrepreneurship Conference for faculty, student, and alumni entrepreneurs, investors and potential mentors Nov. 14 and 15.

The conference begins Friday, Nov. 14, with tours of Goodwin Hall and the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science followed by a reception, entrepreneur exhibits, and presentation by Virginia Tech President Timothy D. Sands at The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center.

On Saturday, Nov. 15, alumni entrepreneurs and investors will share their insights and best practices during panel discussions to be held at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Event Center located at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center.

A pitch session will also be held for the following early stage companies competing for a $2,500 prize: Biotherapeutics, Card Isle, Cell-Free Bioinnovations, Konnect Kloud, phenoCHIP, and Riff Digital.

Secretary of Technology for the Commonwealth of Virginia Karen Jackson will speak during lunch on Saturday. Jackson is a senior advisor to Gov. Terry McAuliffe and was appointed to her current post in 2013. She also served as vice president for broadband programs at the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology.

A formal evening celebration will conclude the weekend, which will include the unveiling of the Virginia Tech entrepreneurship website and keynote speaker, Brian Sullivan, a member of the Virginia Tech Class of 1993. Sullivan is anchor and host of the CNBC programs “Street Signs” and “Talking Numbers.”

The Virginia Tech Alumni Association will also announce a program to recognize the outstanding Hokie alumni entrepreneurs.

To see specific times and locations of all events, and to register, visit the Tech Entrepreneurship Conference website. Those interested may also follow the social conversation using #TEC2014.

For more information, email Joe Meredith, president of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center or call 540-961-3600.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.

Share this story