Expo Attendance Interest Form

10:15 – 11:15 AM · Capped at 32 spots “Seeking alignment between the ‘musts’ and ‘wants’ of your life” Most of us are living lives shaped more by circumstance than intention. This session uses design thinking as a lens for something more personal — finding real alignment between what you have to do and what you want to do. A rare chance to slow down and think about the bigger picture.

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM · Capped at 32 spots “How to humanize your network so it’s people-centered, robust, and resilient” A network built on titles and transactions tends not to last. This session is about building something more durable — relationships rooted in people, not roles. Come away with a different way of thinking about who you know and how you show up for them.

Special Recognitions 1:30 – 1:45 PM A moment set aside to acknowledge the individuals who have made a meaningful and distinctive mark on innovation and entrepreneurship at UWM.

1:45 – 3:00 PM “How to innovate through mistakes and failure” The most interesting innovations rarely follow a straight line. In this panel, experienced innovators open up about the failures, pivots, and hard-won lessons that shaped their paths. Moderated by Chief Innovation & Partnership Officer, Brian Thompson, the conversation centers on a question: what does it mean to be imperfectly human in 2026?

This marks the close of the Design Open portion of the event.

Final Remarks & Innovators Expo Kickoff 3:00 – 3:15 PM Closing words from the Design Open, and another ring of the LEC gong to mark the start of the Innovators Expo.

Join your colleagues for beverages and bites at an off-site location (TBD). Refreshments are available for individual purchase by attendees.