Next MEEN Conference

July 17-18, 2019

About

What is MEEN?

MEEN mission: to support the innovation efforts of midwest technology entrepreneurship institutions through collaboration in educating supporting and connecting innovators to the ecosystem spanning the regionThe Midwest Engineering Entrepreneurship Network (MEEN) supports the efforts of Midwest technology entrepreneurship institutions through collaboration in educating, supporting, and connecting innovators to the ecosystem spanning the region.  The geographic spread, diverse industrial base, and scale of the networkMichigan Center for Entrepreneurship and Illinois Technology Entrepreneurship Logos facilitates the sharing of resources, connections and best practices, among the institutions involved. MEEN currently includes 30 universities which accounts for approximately $16B in federal research funding.

MEEN was established in 2011 by the University of Illinois Technology Entrepreneur Center and the University of Michigan Center for Entrepreneurship.

Annual Conference

Annually, MEEN holds a conference aimed at sharing best practices and methods for overcoming challenges unique to Midwest engineering entrepreneurship centers. This year, Iowa State University will host the MEEN Conference. You are invited!

Who should attend

This conference is open to University administration, faculty and staff working with technology entrepreneurship. Among others, representatives from entrepreneurship centers, technology commercialization offices, entrepreneurship education are encouraged to attend.

There is no fee to attend this event, but participants are responsible for providing their own transportation and accommodations.

Why you should attend

  • Learn about Midwest opportunities for I-Corps
  • Find how other universities are breaking down the educational silos
  • Hear best practices in engineering entrepreneurship from other universities
  • Describe a challenge you are having and learn how the MEEN network may help

We look forward to sharing and exploring new ideas and tackling the common problems we all face.

2019 Details

WHEN

Wednesday, July 17 – Thursday, July 18, 2019
(Agenda begins around 12:00pm on July 17 and ends around 2:00pm on July 18)

WHERE

Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa)

REGISTRATION

Registration now open! Deadline: July 1, 2019

LODGING DETAILS

If you are planning to reserve a hotel room, there is a block of rooms available at a discounted rate at the Gateway Hotel & Conference Center, 2100 Green Hills Drive, Ames, Iowa-50014. Call 515-292-8600 to reserve or visit gatewayames.com for the discounted rate of $139/night. Use the code 37322 ( Please reserve your accommodation at the hotel before June 25th, 2019, to receive the discounted rate.)

 

View the 2019 agenda 

Past participants include: Iowa State University, Penn State, Wayne State, Illinois Institute of Technology, Michigan Technological University, Northwestern University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Akron, University of Iowa, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota and others.

Testimonials

photo of matthew lynal

“Hosting and attending the MEEN Conference has been an invaluable opportunity to meet with colleagues across the Midwest, exchange best practices, and build collaborative initiatives that leverage our collective resources and expertise. In a relatively low-density entrepreneurial ecosystem, MEEN has provided a platform to enable much greater connectivity across geographically dispersed institutions. Nice people too!”

Matthew Lynall, Professor at Purdue and PI for Purdue I-Corps Site; 2015 MEEN Conference host

Photo of middle aged blond woman in business attire

“Since attending my first MEEN Conference in 2013 at Northwestern University in Chicago, I have found it to be an invaluable experience. Being able to get to know people facing similar challenges at peer institutions and learning from them has been extremely helpful. It’s also been fruitful to connect with other NSF I-Corps grant recipients to stay on top of best practices. In 2017, MEEN was held at the University of Iowa and we really enjoyed hosting our colleagues and showing off our campus and expertise. Every year, it’s good to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.”

Lynn Allendorf, Director, John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center University of Iowa; 2017 MEEN Conference host

Member Network

University of Nebraska-Omaha

Michigan "M" Logo

University of Michigan

University of Illinois

Wichita State University

Wayne State University

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

University of Wisconsin-Madison

University of Toledo

University of Notre Dame

University of Northern Iowa

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

University of Missouri

University of Minnesota

University of Iowa

University of Cincinnati

University of Chicago

University of Akron

The Ohio State University

South Dakota School of Mines & Technology

Saint Louis University

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Purdue University

Penn State University

Northwestern University

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Michigan Technological University

Iowa State University

Indiana University

Grand Valley State University

Cleveland State University

Cleveland Clinic

Case Western Reserve University

Boston Scientific Corporation