IWRC is bringing the CHIPS Act to Little Rock!

Innovation takes more than ideas — it takes partnerships.  Academic researchers, government officials, small business owners, financers, and others need to work together for our local innovation ecosystem to thrive, but it is rare for those people to be all in one place — until now.

The Innovation, Workforce, and Research Conference (IWRC) will bring together stakeholders from academia, government, and industry to bridge the gap between research and commercially viable products. Experts from our region and across the country will discuss research grants, technology transfer programs, start-up funding, intellectual property, and a host of other topics related to inspiring and empowering true innovation in the Heartland and Delta Regions.

But most importantly, we will bring together the key innovators from the key parts of our local innovation economy in one place to meet, learn, talk, and plan as the CHIPS Act comes to our corner of America.

Example Sessions: From Lab to Fab – Mind the Gap

• Technology transfer grant opportunities
• Institutional grant management & administration
• Public/private partnership programs
• Protecting IP

Industry Panels: Transferring Technology and Building a Technical Workforce

• Microelectronics: The CHIPS Act in the Heartland — Technology Affecting all Sectors
• Regional Impacts:
  • Advanced Logistics & Retail
  • Aerospace & Defense
  • Advanced Agriculture