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Neil Kane shared thisI've greatly enjoyed working with and supporting Kristy Gale and HONOR Data Rights Management over the past several years. I think they're onto something. Watch this space...Neil Kane shared thisNeil Kane and I had the opportunity to work together on a project for HONOR Data Rights Management while he was at University of Notre Dame mentoring students in the University of Notre Dame ESTEEM Graduate Program. For this month’s HonorDRM newsletter, Neil shared his expertise for an article about how to turn great ideas into dollars. He focused on the fundamentals of business - just like you do in basketball - and how that leads to big wins. The fundamentals aren't exciting. But getting them right is often what separates a promising idea from a viable business. Thanks to Neil for sharing the conversation! Read the full article: “Back to Fundamentals: What a Notre Dame Mentor Taught Me About Building Something People Will Actually Pay For” At https://lnkd.in/eGTHnHV8 #Entrepreneurship #Startups #Innovation #VentureCapital #ProductMarketFit #BusinessStrategy
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Neil Kane shared thisThis is a great job for University of Notre Dame ESTEEM Graduate Program alumni who want to get into venture capital. If you're still looking, feel free to msg me for an introduction to Matthew Zenker.Neil Kane shared this🚀 We’re hiring! UH Ventures is looking for a Venture Associate to join our team and help identify, evaluate, and advance emerging companies and technologies with the potential to transform healthcare. This role is a great opportunity for someone who thrives at the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, healthcare, and venture and wants to help bring promising ideas into the health system. Interested in helping shape the future of healthcare? Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/gwfXkGGm
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Neil Kane reposted thisNeil Kane reposted thisKick off summer in the bay area with us next Thursday. Our annual UND night is happening at Three Embarcadero Center on June 11th. It will be a great opportunity for conversation with other members of the ND community. We're excited to have Neil Kane from the ESTEEM program as our guest speaker. Event link: https://lnkd.in/eCf3UwnW Any bay area interns or recent grads can attend for free. Register above or message me to RSVP
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Neil Kane shared thisHey, friends in #sanfrancisco and University of Notre Dame ESTEEM Graduate Program alumni. I'll be in SF next week speaking at an event for the Notre Dame Club of the San Francisco Bay Area. on the evening of June 11 at the Embarcadero (6-8:30 pm). Recent graduates are welcome to attend for free. If you'd like to come, please DM'me. https://lnkd.in/gCXSySsM I'll also have some availability for networking on June 11 and 12. So if you'd like to grab coffee or an adult beverage, please let me know. Peter Walker Prashant Shukla Keith Giarman Sara Duryea Niamh O'Donnell Horacio Lopez Gary McPartland Seán Roche Claudia Hajjar Natalie Alvarez ᯅ Adam Toland Hannah Dopico Jeff Wittich Joe Schmidt IV Ciara Dillon Ciaran Fitzgerald Jason Saltzman Gabriel Ogundipe Allison Gagnon Yoofi Annan Jin Yoon Cathal Canavan Darren Sabo Jackson Jhin Bryce Emo Shane McCarthy Cora Holtshouser Samir Mayekar
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Neil Kane shared thisI am pleased to be part of the panel selecting this year's CNBC Disruptors 50 list, highlighting the most promising venture-backed companies. It's an exciting opportunity to recognize innovation and potential in the business landscape. For more details, check out the full list of companies here: https://lnkd.in/dQZnEdhz CNBC #innovation2026 CNBC Disruptor 50: See the full list of companies, rankings, and a new leader in the AI race2026 CNBC Disruptor 50: See the full list of companies, rankings, and a new leader in the AI race
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Neil Kane shared thisI'll be speaking at IDEA Week 2026 on Apr 20 - 24, 2026. I would love to see you there!🎉🎉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gm7f4ZPE #IDEAWeek26
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Neil Kane shared thisI'll be speaking at IDEA Week 2026 on Apr 20 - 24, 2026. I would love to see you there!🎉🎉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gm7f4ZPE #IDEAWeek26 - via #Whova Event Platform https://lnkd.in/gHjSyG-Y
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Neil Kane posted thisHello, friends. I'll be in Austin, TX on April 2-5, 2026 with some time to spare. If anyone is interested in getting together for coffee, an adult beverage or just to attempt to solve the problems of the world, please DM me!
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Neil Kane shared thisI'm pleased to share my latest thought piece for Education Technology Insights. Perhaps I should have called it "Back to the Future".
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Neil Kane liked thisNeil Kane liked thisFeeling energized by incredible healthcare innovators, as we lead into #UnDemoDay in Detroit. The third annual Healthcare Innovation Pitch event in Michigan is now a wrap - and a great success, connecting founders and funders. Thanks for the partnership with Renaissance Venture Capital, OU INC and Talents Fund, and congratulations to the winners in #HealthTech, HealthyLifetime® Inc., and in #healthcare, MediCool Technologies. Great pitches by other teams as well; and, thanks to our judges from Michigan Capital Network, Technomark Life Sciences, Pointe Angels, Talents Fund, CU Ventures, Henry Ford Innovations, Project Medtech, Mutual Capital Partners, as well as Christina Drake, Katie Kirsch, Neil Kane and Anthony Oraha. The event kicked off with an incredible panel on Women's Healthcare Innovation, led by Vanessa Zellmer Lane with great panelists, including Victoria Zellmer, Ph.D. from Estrigenix Therapeutics, Inc. Stay tuned for the #GreatLakes #HealthcareInnovationPitch event coming up on Oct. 20 in Milwaukee.
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Neil Kane liked thisOur cadmium sensor research has been published in Sensors. The study demonstrates highly sensitive and selective cadmium detection at sub-parts-per-billion levels in spiked samples from real-world water sources, including lakes and wells, with minimal sample preparation. We are now ready to advance this technology toward pilot-scale deployment in collaboration with industry partners.
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Neil Kane liked thisNeil Kane liked thisIllinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park is hiring for a critical role leading Industry Partnerships with a focus on identifying and recruiting commercial partners to join this rapidly scaling initiative. This is a great team and a great opportunity. https://lnkd.in/dDv34Gk2
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Neil Kane liked thisNeil Kane liked thisOne of my favorite programs that we produce at Michigan Venture Capital Association is our VentureTrack which we recently held at our members' location, Bamboo in Ann Arbor, MI. Venture Track is a one-day venture capital learning experience for students, interns, analysts, emerging investors, and first-time fund managers. We had a full house and it's great to see the interest and activity in our Michigan ecosystem. What made this a homer un is the efforts of our members that assisted in teaching relevant sessions stemming from VC 101 to Due Diligence/Term Sheets with a fun session called Pitch Perfect, helping everyone with their elevator speech. But VentureTrack is about more than learning how venture capital works. For MVCA, it’s an investment in the next generation of Michigan’s venture community. A strong ecosystem needs a continual pipeline of people who understand venture capital, build relationships within the community, and ultimately become the investors, fund leaders, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem partners who will shape what comes next. Creating opportunities for emerging talent to learn directly from those already doing the work helps deepen Michigan’s bench and strengthens the connections that keep our ecosystem growing. A big thank you to all of our session leaders - Christina Drake, Chris Stallman, Tommy Skinner, Paul Damato, Jenni Li, PhD, Meagan Malm Special thanks to Susan Renno for her continued efforts in helping coordinating a successful event! Also, thank you to Michigan Economic Development Corporation for making this important program possible.
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Neil Kane reacted on thisThe future of time synchronization will be forged at the chip level. Today Mesa Quantumm announced an oversubscribed $11.8M round led by Playground Global and joined by Jonathan, J2 Ventures and PrinehaPrineha, DCVC to deliver our quantum sensors at operational scale — so the systems the world depends on stay accurate and secure, even when GPS cannot. Grateful to our team, our investors, and our partners for getting us here. And a very special shoutout to my co-founder Wale lawal, Ph. D. and the entire Mesa team who are the magic behind it all and make the dream come true! If our mission excites you, we’re hiring! Link in comments.Neil Kane reacted on thisToday we're announcing that Mesa Quantum has raised an oversubscribed $11.8 million round led by Playground Global, just the second investment from the Playground Genesis Fund. Modern infrastructure runs on GPS for time synchronization: data centers, power grids, financial markets, and military operations. But those satellite signals are weak, easily jammed or spoofed, and blocked by the environments where they're needed most. Mesa Quantum builds chip-scale quantum sensors, including atomic clocks, that keep critical systems accurate and secure when GPS can't. This funding accelerates our transition from component-level development to full system integration and scaled production of deployable quantum timing and navigation units — ruggedized, field-ready systems for defense and commercial customers, from U.S. Air Force and Space Force missions to data centers, telecom networks, and power grids. It also significantly expands our footprint in New Mexico, including a strengthened partnership with Sandia National Laboratories on VCSELs and photonic integrated circuits, and new domestic characterization and production operations. This round brings our total venture funding to nearly $16 million, alongside more than $5 million in non-dilutive awards from U.S. government agencies including SpaceWERX. Thank you to Peter Barrett, Daniel Yum and the Playground Global team for leading the round, and Jonathan, Alexander, J2 Ventures, Prineha, DCVC and others who joined it. Full announcement in comment.
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Neil Kane liked thisNeil Kane liked thisThe drive up I69 will always feel like something to me. I grew up just outside of Indianapolis and have made my career in Greater Lafayette, but Muncie holds a special place. As a first-generation college kid, Ball State University was formative in so many ways. When my high school AP calculus teacher suggested a PR degree (perhaps implying that I was better at yapping than slopey maths), I was already a school newspaper nerd and loved that BSU’s PR program lived in the school of journalism. Really grateful for the experience I had, the things I learned, and the people I met. I’m visiting today because Ted Baker invited me to be part of the Innovation Connector, Inc. Business Impact Masteclass and I wouldn’t dream of saying no to Ted. :) But the honor is all mine. I’m looking forward to spending the morning in a room full of entrepreneurs, talking about the things that I passionately believe make our communities better places to live (sustainable local businesses make more resilient and connected towns and cities!). If you’re feeling chatty, tell me in the comments how the work you do today is (or isn’t!) related to what you studied as an undergrad, even if it’s in a direct or surprising way.
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Neil Kane reacted on thisNeil Kane reacted on thisPleased to announce my election as one of ten (seven from the US) new international Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering, UK (https://lnkd.in/dUbZypCw)! An elite group of engineers and technologists from academia, industry and the public sector, all working to address society's most important challenges. I am especially proud to join this powerful community this year as the Academy, founded by Prince Philip in 1976, celebrates its 50th anniversary. The induction ceremonies will be amazing – scheduled in October at the Prince Philip House with Princess Anne (the Princess Royal and Royal Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering) playing an essential ceremonial role!! #RAEngFellows2026
Experience & Education
Licenses & Certifications
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Blockchain: Understanding Its Uses and Implications
edX
Credential ID 5456ebce81ae4d35a21f7afce45eb886
Volunteer Experience
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Mentor
Plug and Play Tech Center
- Present 1 year 7 months
I assist medtech and life sciences companies in their accelerator on strategies for fund raising. The program is based in Warsaw, Indiana, and it's affiliated with Plug and Play in Sunnyvale, CA.
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Ambassador
Right to Start
- Present 2 years 8 months
Economic Empowerment
Right to Start fights to expand entrepreneurial opportunity for all. We drive civic change through: grassroots organizing and mobilizing, policy advocacy and engagement, and lifting the voices of entrepreneurs through media and storytelling.
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Judge - Michigan Business Challenge (Entrepreneurship)
University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business
- 1 month
Education
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Mentor
WeWork Labs and WeWork Labs Leadership Academy
- 2 years 4 months
I share my experience, knowledge and time with WeWork's global network of startups.
https://leadership-academy2021.splashthat.com/ -
Mentor in the Financing Technology Commercialization Class
University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business
- 1 year 3 months
Education
Financing Technology Commercialization (FIN ES 329 629) is a 3-credit University of Michigan (UM) Ross School of Business course, a Venture Capital Practicum in which UM student teams work closely with established early stage startup companies to help the founders and management of participating companies to refine a venture thesis and pitch for venture capital funding at the end of the term. Students work closely with a group of mentors experienced in entrepreneurship, management, and…
Financing Technology Commercialization (FIN ES 329 629) is a 3-credit University of Michigan (UM) Ross School of Business course, a Venture Capital Practicum in which UM student teams work closely with established early stage startup companies to help the founders and management of participating companies to refine a venture thesis and pitch for venture capital funding at the end of the term. Students work closely with a group of mentors experienced in entrepreneurship, management, and investing and will have the chance to engage with entrepreneurs and investors as guest speakers.
I am one of the mentors for the course.
Publications
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The Innovator's Secret Formula
As the pace of global innovation increases, more game-changing products are being produced faster than ever. Unfortunately, most of these new products will fail because not enough people want to buy them.
What if there was a Secret Formula that could predict if a new product will be successful? What if there was a new way to look not just at new product development, but at the entire strategy of product innovation?
Welcome to “The Innovator’s Secret Formula,” a book that…As the pace of global innovation increases, more game-changing products are being produced faster than ever. Unfortunately, most of these new products will fail because not enough people want to buy them.
What if there was a Secret Formula that could predict if a new product will be successful? What if there was a new way to look not just at new product development, but at the entire strategy of product innovation?
Welcome to “The Innovator’s Secret Formula,” a book that introduces the Quantitative Product-Market Fit (QPMF) Innovation Framework, a breakthrough method for designing highly profitable, market-leading products that have high Product-Market Fit (PMF). Product-Market Fit is so critical for success that Silicon Valley investors call it “the only thing that matters.”
Other authorsSee publication -
Thin Film Diamond Advances the Semiconductor Industry
Advanced Materials & Processes;May2010, Vol. 168 Issue 5, p56
The article focuses on the development and proliferation of thin film diamond in the semiconductor industry. It notes that working on diamond is difficult due to its low supply and expensive value. Its ability to harness diamond for semiconductor is considered tough. Its thermal transport properties are well recognized and are vital in solving nodes' temperature issues. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is notable as one of the killer applications for thin and smooth diamond.
Other authorsSee publication
Patents
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Controlling Diamond Film Surfaces and Layering
Issued US 8.232.559
Courses
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Blockchain: Foundations and Applications
MGT 491
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Innovation of Products and Services
PIM 871
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Lean Launchpad at Stanford University
i245
Projects
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Rev3 Innovation Center
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Rev3 is an innovation center located in DuPage County, Illinois that is focused on helping people and companies manufacture products, software and technology to drive the third industrial revolution. From astonishing waves of innovation to new product concepts, to technology that changes business models – Rev3 is a place of emerging opportunities.
Other creatorsSee project
Honors & Awards
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Princeton Review Top 25 Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program
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In its second full year of eligibility since the launch of the Minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, MSU landed at #21 on the Princeton Review Top 25 list of all undergraduate entrepreneurship programs.
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Invited witness to testify on the subject of technology transfer
U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Research & Science Education
I testified in Congress twice. The first time was in June 2010 and the second time was in July 2012.
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Named a "Mover and Shaker"
Frost and Sullivan
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Outstanding Entrepreneurship
National Science Foundation
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Technology Pioneer
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneers programme recognizes companies, normally in a start-up phase, from around the world that are involved in the design, development and deployment of new technologies, and hold promise of significantly impacting the way business and society operate.
Technology Pioneers must demonstrate visionary leadership and show signs of being long-standing market leaders – their technology must be proven. Each year, hundreds of innovative companies from…The World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneers programme recognizes companies, normally in a start-up phase, from around the world that are involved in the design, development and deployment of new technologies, and hold promise of significantly impacting the way business and society operate.
Technology Pioneers must demonstrate visionary leadership and show signs of being long-standing market leaders – their technology must be proven. Each year, hundreds of innovative companies from around the world are reviewed, with approximately 30 selected as Technology Pioneers in the following three categories:
* Information Technologies and New Media
* Energy and Environment
* Life Sciences and Health
Technology Pioneers are selected on a yearly basis through a rigorous process. A selection committee - composed of technology experts from leading academic institutions, venture capital firms and technology incubators, as well as entrepreneurs and Forum Members and Partners - evaluate candidates against the programme’s criteria.
Since 2000, more than 400 innovative companies from five continents have been selected as Technology Pioneers. Among them, the large majority are still thriving independently while others have been acquired by industry leaders. -
Runner-up in Wall St. Journal's Technology Innovation Awards
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Golden Circle
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Top 2% of all IBM sales representatives nationwide.
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Inventor on U.S. Patent
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R&D 100 Award
R&D Magazine
Won three times.
Organizations
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World Economic Forum Expert Network
Member
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Association of Interim Executives
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@AutomatedTechnologies
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Automated Technologies Submits Proposal to Michigan Central to Launch "The Detroit Automation Academy" 24-Week Workforce Fellowship to Equip 50 Detroit Youth with Industrial Robotics and Python Skills DETROIT, MI – November 25, 2025 – Automated Technologies, a Detroit-based technology consultancy, today announced the submission of its comprehensive proposal, "The Detroit Automation Academy: Coding the Skies & Streets," to Michigan Central in response to the RFP for Innovative Youth STEM Programming. The Academy is envisioned as a 24-week, two-cohort fellowship designed to train 50 Detroit high school students (Grades 9-12) in advanced physical computing, bridging the divide between software development and real-world autonomous systems. The program, slated to run two 12-week cohorts (Spring and Fall 2026) at the Michigan Central Youth STEM Lab, will move beyond traditional screen-based coding. Students will learn the Python and Linux toolsets used in industrial robotics, apply CAD skills to 3D-print rover chassis, and program autonomous navigation algorithms using sensor fusion technology. "Detroit is the global epicenter of mobility, and our youth deserve direct access to the jobs being created right here," said Justin Smith, Founder and Lead Technologist at Automated Technologies. "The Detroit Automation Academy is a 'Zero-Gap' model. We are teaching industrial-grade skills—Python, robotics, drone prep—and simultaneously removing all barriers to entry by covering instruction, providing take-home hardware kits, and funding transportation and meals. This ensures that the mobility innovators of tomorrow are coming directly from Detroit’s neighborhoods." The program is seeking the full $100,000 grant requested in the proposal to fund all operational aspects, including personnel, materials, and student support services. Key outcomes include intermediate Python proficiency, the Automated Technologies Junior Technologist Certificate, and preparation for the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot knowledge exam. Automated Technologies’ proposal aligns directly with Michigan Central’s mission to foster the next generation of talent and activate its state-of-the-art facilities for community impact. About Automated Technologies Automated Technologies is a Detroit-based technology consultancy dedicated to democratizing access to the automation economy. Founded in 2020, the organization focuses on equipping the next generation of innovators with industrial-grade skills to build, program, and manage autonomous systems, ensuring Detroit talent fills Detroit’s high-tech jobs. Media Contact: Justin Smith Founder & Lead Technologist Automated Technologies dbkrsmith@gmail.com (313) 306-3767 https://lnkd.in/eZRc5kvY
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Diane Primo
Quantum companies are not waiting for the concrete to dry at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park. Haven Allen and mHUB are building immediate, active partnerships. Thanks Brad Henderson for sharing a great read on what a mature, active tech hub looks like. #QuantumComputing #DeepTech #ChicagoTech #EconomicDevelopment #Innovation
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Praveena J. Ramaswami
📣The press release is out … 1/10 companies !! “Let’s keep working together to build the future right here in Michigan.” — Governor Gretchen Whitmer We couldn’t agree more. Proud to be one of 10 mobility projects supported through the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform and part of a Michigan ecosystem turning innovation into real-world impact. From invention and development to testing, manufacturing, and now commercialization. Right here in Michigan, the Mobility Epicenter “This grant opportunity enabled CARGILITY to engage community members experiencing challenges with balance and mobility in real-world testing of our assistive mobility device at the Detroit Smart Parking Lab. Testing the engineering behind the product was important, but the response from the people using it was the real validation,” said Meera Ramaswami, Founder, Inventor, and Chief Technology Officer of CARGILITY. “Hearing older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers tell us this could make a meaningful difference gives us the confidence to move from development to commercialization. Their experiences and feedback helped shape the final product every step of the way.” State of Michigan MI Office of Future Mobility and Electrification Press release: https://lnkd.in/dz6ZpiBf #Cargility #MichiganMobility #AccessibleMobility #AssistiveTechnology #MadeInMichigan #StepIntoStability
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Becky Carroll
As Illinois’ quantum economy grows, partners at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park are investing in what matters most: giving our young people the opportunity to become the innovators and problem-solvers of tomorrow. ⚛️ That’s why the #IQMP has announced a new partnership with Science Olympiad, Inc. that will deliver hands-on STEM programming to more than 240 students across eight schools in the greater South Chicago community. These teams will give kids tangible exposure to science and technology, encouraging them to envision a future where they help solve some of life’s biggest issues. As a lifelong Chicagoan and CPS kid (and bonafide math/science nerd), I love seeing opportunities like this reach students in their own neighborhoods as the Park advances Illinois’ role in the global quantum and opens doors for the next generation of innovators, right here at home. Shoutout to all the partners making this possible — P33 Chicago, Claretian Associates and the Chicago Quantum Exchange — and to the #IQMP team for playing an active role in the community they’re joining. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gEYtrNBz
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