Innovation Connect: Summer Exchange Fosters Collaboration with Community & Economic Development Founders
By: Crystal Carter
Entrepreneurs, researchers, inventors, investors, industry leaders, and community members gathered July 28 for our largest Innovation Connect. The Texas A&M Innovation event is designed to strengthen relationships and foster collaborations that support technology commercialization and economic growth across The Texas A&M University System.
Held at Ice House on Main in Bryan, Texas, the program brought together members of the regional innovation ecosystem for an evening of networking and discussions focused on building collaborations that help move discoveries from the laboratory to the marketplace.
The evening opened with remarks from Texas A&M Innovation leadership, Dr. Samuel Kim, Chief Innovation Officer and Associate Vice Chancellor, who highlighted the organization’s strategic plan and role in advancing commercialization throughout The Texas A&M University System by creating opportunities for researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and community organizations to engage beyond the laboratory.
Jose and Joan Quintana, co-founders of Advent GX, shared perspectives on entrepreneurship, innovation ecosystems, and the importance of community-driven economic development.
The husband-and-wife team founded Advent GX in 2004 with a mission to help entrepreneurs, startups, universities, and underserved communities transform innovative ideas into sustainable ventures.
As Texas A&M Innovation continues to expand programs that support commercialization across The Texas A&M University System, Innovation Connect remains an important forum for building the collaborative networks that drive innovation forward.
The Summer Exchange demonstrated that momentum is building for innovation across the A&M System. It requires a connected community of researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, and strategic partners working together to transform promising ideas into real-world impact.
