Lowell Ma, Jan 27, 2022 – The Deshpande Symposium, founded in 2012 by the Deshpande Foundation and the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell), is excited to announce a deepened collaboration with VentureWell, a national non-profit organization on a mission to cultivate a pipeline of inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs driven to solve the world’s biggest challenges and to create lasting impact, to house and support the operational management of the Symposium in the Summer of 2022 following the upcoming event in Cleveland. VentureWell’s stewardship of the Deshpande Symposium will ensure its continuing success in years to come.
Since its inception, the Deshpande Symposium has been run completely by a volunteer team, with operational support from UMass Lowell, and has served over 3200 attendees while establishing a respected and influential profile for its convening and awards highlighting entrepreneurship and innovation in higher education. This agreement will better position the Symposium for longer term sustainability and growth supported by VentureWell’s decades of commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship, its strong operational team, and a solid track record of managing creative and effective convenings.
“As a founding member of the Symposium Steering Committee, I have seen firsthand the important role it plays in convening the university innovation community to share ideas, experience and emergent practice on how universities can partner effectively in their communities to drive entrepreneurial, science based prosperity. We look forward to supporting the success, evolution and growth of the Symposium,” said Phil Weilerstein, CEO and President of VentureWell.
As VentureWell takes the lead in organizing future Symposiums, the Deshpande Foundation and UMass Lowell and the existing Steering Committee will continue their collaboration and support. “UMass Lowell is truly excited and honored that VentureWell understands and appreciates the value the Deshpande Symposium brings to our many entrepreneurial institutions and communities each year,” said Steven Tello, Vice Provost at UMass Lowell and founding partner of the Symposium. “This agreement ensures the Symposium will continue to thrive as our VentureWell colleagues bring their experience and network to our focus on promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education across the Americas and beyond.”
“As a longtime and enthusiastic participant in the Deshpande Symposium community, we are excited to know that our powerful learning network will be well-positioned to expand its audience and influence through this strategic collaboration with VentureWell,” noted Deborah Hoover, President of Burton D. Morgan Foundation and Co-Chair of Deshpande Symposium. “We will welcome our colleagues to Cleveland in June for Deshpande Symposium 2022 and be greatly honored to celebrate the launch of this dynamic next chapter.”
We are excited to share this future vision and direction at the next Deshpande Symposium in Cleveland in June and look forward to your participation, feedback and support going forward.
