About the Summit

The Jefferson Innovation Summit series was founded on the belief that only through a critical dialogue between diverse stakeholders can we begin to make progress on the actions needed to accelerate innovation. Each summit convenes a diverse set of delegates including corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, governmental officials, policy experts, and academics.

Unlike conferences that focus on speeches and panel discussions, the summits are designed to inspire dialogue and action. Each summit features a three-part format that includes: a discussion in the round involving all the delegates that is modeled after the Socratic case study method; a facilitated ideation session to generate ideas and solutions to overcome the obstacles identified during the discussion in the round; and an interactive workshop to compose and develop constructive recommendations. Summits culminate with a celebratory dinner to continuing networking and discussion.

Observer Opportunity: We are offering a limited number of seats to observers during the morning delegate discussion from 10 am – 12 pm in the Rotunda dome. Observers will include UVA students, faculty, and staff as well as local leaders working in this space. To be considered, please send Becky Duff a summary of your interest at duffr@darden.virginia.edu.