UW-Madison Technology & Innovation Leadership Forum
Dec 3, 1:00 PM–5:30 PM CT
Wisconsin Institute for Discovery – UW Madison
Hybrid: In person at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, 1403 University Avenue, UW–Madison, or via Zoom
Hosted by the UW Tech Exploration Lab
Lead with Insight in the AI Era
Join business decision-makers and select campus partners for a forward-looking conversation on how emerging technologies—especially AI—are reshaping leadership, strategy, and opportunity.
This invitation-only session will bring together leaders who are navigating rapid change and looking to stay ahead of what’s next. Together, we’ll explore how to lead with clarity in a time of technological disruption and discovery.
What to Expect
-
Insights from the Lab’s experimentation — What we’re learning through hands-on exploration of emerging tech, the most promising use cases we’ve identified, and ventures taking shape at UW–Madison.
-
Benchmarking and peer discussion — An open exchange on the challenges and opportunities business leaders are encountering as technology accelerates transformation.
-
Interactive breakouts — Collaborative conversations to identify the leadership capabilities, priorities, and strategies needed for the years ahead.
The session will be conversational, insight-driven, and future-focused—a space to connect, compare notes, and imagine what’s next for business leadership in the AI age.
If you complete this Quick Pulse Poll, you’ll receive an invitation to join the Technology and Leadership Forum on December 3 at UW–Madison (with Zoom option). The half-day event will bring together business and campus leaders to glean insights from the Lab, review the poll findings, share challenges, and engage in interactive discussions that will help shape future programming to prepare the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs for the AI era.
Contact sandra.bradley@wisc.edu with any questions.
Demo Night (Concourse-Style Showcase)
Dec 3, 5:30–7:30 PM
1403 University Ave., Madison, WI
Following the Leadership Forum, the doors open to the public and all are invited to walk the concourse, meet the teams, and get hands-on with student prototypes across AI, XR, IoT, data, and connected systems. With more than 40 teams working this semester, you will have a great opportunity to learn, try applied demos, and connect with talent.
The Demo Night is our end-of-semester showcase highlighting student-led innovation across emerging technologies. Students will be hosting demo tables for hands-on experiences with new tech, sharing what they’ve developed this semester, and discussing how their ideas could shape the future of industry.
This event is free and open to the public, offering a dynamic environment to engage with student innovators, explore real-world applications of cutting-edge technology, and connect with UW’s growing ecosystem of innovators and industry partners. Light refreshments will be served.
At approximately 7:00 p.m., there will be brief remarks from the Lab’s Directors and recognition of winning student teams.
->See projects and RSVP for the Demo Night
About the Tech Exploration Lab
The UW Tech Exploration Lab—a collaboration between the Wisconsin School of Business and the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery—serves as UW–Madison’s hub for early-stage entrepreneurship and applied innovation. The Lab helps students and partners explore emerging technologies, test ideas, and build venture-ready concepts in a collaborative, cross-disciplinary environment. By connecting business insight with technical experimentation, the Lab acts as a launchpad for new ventures and a catalyst for shaping the next generation of innovators and founders.