Following on the heels of last fall’s highly successful Aerospace and Defense Technology Day, UNHInnovation has since hosted two other industry specific events focused on promoting innovation and industry/university collaboration with external entities.
UNH Data Day, held on April 6th, brought representatives from data-related businesses to meet and network with UNH faculty whose research could be of interest to the data field, and UNH Bioscience Day, held on September 21st, showcased UNH’s biology, genomics, and biomedical science research. At each industry event, faculty and attendee companies were given the opportunity to introduce themselves to the room and describe their needs, interests, or activities. All attendees then participated in a research “sandpit” – a highly interactive networking session were they could seek out other attendees with similar interests. UNH researchers and industry representatives met and mingled, then moved on every five minutes, speed-dating style, for maximum interaction and networking. The activity is designed to help companies and researchers identify and develop potential projects and partnerships, solve business challenges, and accelerate scientific innovation in industry specific tools and technology. The research sandpits are part of a larger initiative to foster entrepreneurship on campus and support the maturation of innovations developed at UNH, which is being funded through a recently awarded $300,000 I-Corps Site Grant from the National Science Foundation.
Following the networking activity at each event, attendees were invited to take tours of UNH’s world-class facilities and centers. During Data Day, guests were encouraged to visit and learn more about UNH’s InterOperability Lab and the Connectivity Research Center in their new facility in downtown Durham. Bioscience Day attendees were invited to tour UNH’s Hubbard Center for Genome Studies and the new Veterinary Diagnostic Lab. Each event was concluded with a networking cocktail hour in the Alpha Loft at the UNH ECenter, which shares our Madbury Commons space.
UNH has serious expertise in a wide range of fields and many local companies could benefit from that expertise in their pursuits to innovate and commercialize new ideas. UNH Industry Days provide great opportunities for UNH to showcase its resources and work, and provide companies and researchers the chance to meet face-to-face to learn and collaborate. UNHInnovation has received wonderful feedback from both faculty and industry attendees about connections they made throughout these events that will hopefully lead to new partnerships.
UNHInnovation plans to host UNH Industry Days at least twice a year. For more information about upcoming events, please feel free to contact me at ellen.chisto@unh.edu or 603-862-5446.
Ellen Christo
Sr. Director, Strategic Partnerships
