More than 200 business leaders, researchers and policy-makers gather in Juneau this week for the 2015 Innovation Summit.
The two-day event is a time to listen, discuss and brainstorm about Southeast Alaska’s economic future.
Brian Holst is executive director of the Juneau Economic Development Council, the summit’s organizer.
He says speakers and participants will focus on new ways of doing business.
“These are entrepreneurs and university people and people involved in the business world or supporting business that have experienced innovation in their professional work,” he says.
One of the summit’s guest speakers is Armelle Solelhac, an outdoor sports marketing and digital communication expert.
Holst says she works with a group promoting tourism in the French Alps. He says it’s an example of what could be done here.
“Firms that compete with one another, in the same industry, also actively collaborate with one another in order for the region to be more competitive on world markets,” he said.
Other keynote speakers are Mark Skinner of the Regional Innovation Acceleration Network and Scott Stern of MIT’s Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management Group.
Winners of the Path to Prosperity entrepreneurship competition will also be announced.
The Innovation Summit runs Wednesday and Thursday at Juneau’s Centennial Hall.
There is a $325 registration fee.
