TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Monday, February 27

3:30 - 4:00 PM

OPENING REMARKS

Speakers:

CREATING COMMUNITIES OF INNOVATION WITH NSF AND THE CHIPS + SCIENCE ACT

Speaker:

Moderator:

AURP Board of Directors' Sponsor Appreciation Dinner
Location: TBD
Sponsor:

Tuesday, February 28

Journey Up 'A' Mountain
Huddle up in the courtyard with your AURP friends before the journey of a lifetime up 'A' Mountain. Whether meditating, engaging with your colleagues, or walking up 'A' Mountain, being mindful of your body and surroundings, is important at every level of engagement each day and every moment. (Sunrise 6:57 am)

Continental Breakfast

9:00 - 9:15 AM

SPRING TRAINING WELCOME

Spring Training Co-Chairs:

INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS

University of Louisiana - Monroe
Speaker:

Research Park at Florida Atlantic University
Speaker:

MODULE 1 - PART 1
ASSESSING INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS
In many communities, universities and their associated research parks and innovation districts, serve as the linchpin to that region's innovation ecosystem. These communities require significant investments (and patience) to achieve their potential. These long-term and consistent efforts from the university anchors and associated partners ultimately lead investors to consider how best to evaluate and assess the impact from their commitments. This interactive session will feature several academic leaders with experience with these efforts and how they assess these communities of innovation. Attendees will also be asked to discuss and consider metrics that can be used for assessing these ecosystems.

Speakers:


Moderators:

Break

MODULE 1 - PART 2
ENERGIZING PLACES TO ACTIVATE PEOPLE
Place stopped existing as we know it. The digital era had already initiated this paradigm shift, but the pandemic accelerated our understanding and application of these technologies. Today, people live and work in different communities, manufacturing companies are headquartered far away from their essential materials, students attend college without ever stepping foot on campus, who businesses travel with their founders on their phones. 
Our economic development strategies; however, are still largely based on an outdated sense of place. Site planning, TIF incentives, and fixed and singular uses of space and equipment are limiting innovation, even as many of these strategies have proven less effective than we’d hoped.
This session – Energizing Places to Activate People – walks participants through place-based paradigm shifts and the research that encourages us all to take them seriously. It introduces new approaches that we use with Spark-Town communities working to improve their local innovation and creativity. We have these conversations all through the lens of your specific place and the people who make up your ecosystem, sending you home with actionable strategies to make your ecosystem thrive. 

Speaker:

Moderator:

Lunch
Sponsor:

INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS

Rice University
Speaker:

Tech Parks Arizona
Speaker:

MODULE 2 - PART 1
INNOVATION IN REAL PLACES

Speaker:

Moderator:

Break

MODULE 2 - PART 2
GEOGRAPHY OF OPPORTUNITIES

Speaker:

Moderator:

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS: IN OUR WORLD AND IN THEIRS
Really, why does Government Relations matter for your Park or District, and why does it matter that it’s YOU who does it? What are you doing right or wrong for your Park/District, and how does our political landscape impact what and how we do GR?  With their collective leader and practitioner experience at the federal, state, local and corporate levels, Mike and Aaron will be guided on a candid and authentic journey of the Government Relations landscape that will leave you with real and inspired takeaways. What away to end a day at AURP’s Spring Training!  

Speakers:

Moderator:
 

Informal Group Dinners

Guests sign up during registration and reception
Meet in the lobby at 6:00 pm to depart for restaurants.

Wednesday, March 1

Hike Up 'A' Mountain

Ready for round 2? Your AURP friends are there to support you as you clear out the cobwebs and set out for Day 2 up 'A' Mountain. The beautiful Arizona sunrise will refresh your heart, mind and body for another day of deep thought and learning. (Sunrise 6:56 am)

TOUR - PHOENIX BIOSCIENCE CORE

Speakers:

INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS

University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Speaker:

Research Triangle Park
Speaker:

Lunch

MODULE 3 - PART 1
INCLUSIVE INNOVATION

Speakers:


Moderator:

Break

MODULE 3 - PART 2
INCLUSIVE INNOVATION (CONTINUED)

Speaker:


Moderator:

INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS

McMaster Innovation Park
Speakers:

San Diego State University
Speaker:

Networking - In Room Activity
HAPPY HOUR
Sponsor:

Thursday, March 2

Hike Up 'A' Mountain

Your AURP friends are there to support you as you clear out the cobwebs and set out for your last day up 'A' Mountain. The beautiful Arizona sunrise will refresh your heart, mind and body for another day of deep thought and learning. (Sunrise 6:55 am)

Continental Breakfast

MODULE 4 - PART 1
ENTREPRENEUR DRIVEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Speakers:


Moderator:

Break

MODULE 4 - PART 2 
CUSTOM COMMUNITY FOCUSED CAPITAL MARKETPLACES: 
HELP EARLY-STAGE COMPANIES IN OUR RESEARCH PARKS, ACCESS CAPITAL, FIND AND GROW EARLY ADOPTER BY BUILDING CUSTOM COMMUNITY FOCUSED MARKETPLACES
Creating, attracting, and growing startups and other early-stage high growth firms are an important part of a research park’s growth strategy and its contribution to innovation led regional economic development efforts. Access to capital is the number one barrier reported by entrepreneurs driving these growth companies. This session will build on the previous capital overview, by discussing Capital2Market’s equity crowd funding platform which connects investors in your local community to the innovations coming from your research parks. Thus, making it easier for startups to raise the capital they critically need, while providing a wider range of investors an opportunity to participate in previously exclusive investments. This is a session you won’t want to miss!  

Speaker:

Moderator:

ANGELS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Speakers:


Moderator:

CLOSING REMARKS

AURP President

Lunch

BASEBALL!
Cubs vs Athletics @ Sloan Park (SOLD OUT)
Meet in Hotel Lobby at 12:15 to depart for Sloan Park