Innovation Week is a student-led initiative to get undergraduates thinking about how technology impacts their daily lives and engaged in the pursuit of technological innovation for the greater good. A week's worth of events are designed to introduce students to the resources available to student innovators at the Weiss Tech House and connect them with industry leaders who can help them turn their ideas into viable, marketable products and services.

The inaugural Innovation Week celebration was held November 6-10, 2006. Events included an Innovation Conference "From Conceptualization to Commercialization" and a campus-wide, technology-based Treasure Hunt where students answered questions about Penn’s history of innovation. One lucky team won a $1,000, donated for the Treasure Hunt by an anonymous Penn alumnus who supports our mission to encourage and facilitate technological innovation in undergraduates. More than 200 students from across the University learned how they could access more than $80,000 in cash and prizes available each year through the Weiss Tech House Innovation Fund and PennVention.

• The donation from an anonymous University of Pennyslvania Alumnus
• Shawn and Jody Marcell
• Xootr LLC

Week Long Treasure Hunt
Win $1,000 now plus cool prizes and apply for up to $80K more at the Weiss Tech House!
The Innovation Week Treasure Hunt is a creative, trivia-based adventure designed to promote the resources available at Weiss Tech House, to encourage the Penn community to attend Innovation Week events, and to inform Penn students about the history of innovation at Penn with the incentive of $1,000 cash and other valuable prizes. It will begin with a Kick-Off on Monday and conclude with an Award Reception on Friday, with both events held at the Weiss Tech House.

• Monday, November 6, 2006:


• $1,000 Innovative Treasure Hunt Kick-Off - Part virtual, part "real world" trivia-based, this treasure hunt’s clues will draw from Penn’s vast history of innovation. Win $1,000 in the Treasure Hunt and learn how you can access $80K available at the Weiss Tech House!
• 2:00pm—3:00 pm, Location: Weiss Tech House


• Robots, Patents & the Rumble Pack: Innovation in Engineering - Renowned robotics expert and innovator, Dr. Mark Yim will discuss engineering aspects of designing and marketing inventions at this catered dinner.
• 6:30 pm—7:30 pm, Location: Weiss Tech House



• Tuesday, November 7, 2006:


• A Worthy Investment - Venture Capital Series with Dr. Michael Aronson, MentorTech Ventures.
• 6:30pm—7:30pm , Location: Weiss Tech House



• Wednesday, November 8, 2006:


• The Other $80K: Applying to the Innovation Fund & PennVention Workshop - Learn how to access the $80,000 available at the Weiss Tech House to student innovators
• 7:30pm—9:00pm, Location: Weiss Tech House



• Thursday, November 9, 2006:


• INNOVATIVE CONFERENCE: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
• Innovation in the 21st Century - Dr. Karl Ulrich, founder of TerraPass and inventor of the Xootr Scootr, will talk about the future of innovation.
• 6:30pm—7:00pm, Location: Berger Auditorium (Skirkanich Hall)
• From Conceptualization to Commercialization - This innovation conference will discuss the many aspects of creating, marketing, and selling an invention. Panelists include Dr. David Hsu, Wharton Professor and Associate Editor of Management Science; Eric Scott Siegel, President & CEO Seigel Management Company; Vincenzo La Ruffa, Susquehanna Private Equity; Jared Bernheim, inventor & co-founder of Intellistem Orthopaedic Innovations, Inc.; and Dr. Karl Ulrich, Chair of the Operations and Information Management Department at the Wharton School.
• 7:00pm—8:00 pm, Location: Berger Auditorium (Skirkanich Hall)
• Reception to follow in Weiss Tech House



• Friday, November 10, 2006:


• For the Greater Good: Socially Responsible Innovation - Dr. John W. Fantuzzo, founder of Covenant House, will inspire students to harness innovation to benefit society at this catered lunch. He will highlight the Kids Integrated Data System he developed for Philadelphia. This system enables researchers to work with the city to conduct highly relevant research and evaluations to inform policies and practices for children and youth in Philadelphia. This system was just featured in an article in Education Week, major national periodical.
  
• 12:00pm—1:00pm, Location: Weiss Tech House


• $1,000 Innovative Treasure Hunt Award Reception - Winners of the week long treasure hunt will be announced. $1,000 in cash and cool prizes will be awarded.
• 1:30pm—2:30pm, Location: Weiss Tech House