Due to the recent and rapidly changing situation regarding COVID-19 virus, we are shifting to offer an inclusive, accessible OPEN 2020 convening that is 100% online. Learn more.
In a world of competing priorities, changing curricula, and tight deadlines, it can be difficult to make a case for heading off campus to attend a conference. To help you secure approval from your institution, we’ve put together some information and resources that clearly communicate why attending OPEN 2020 is a sound investment—for you and for your department.
Download our Approval Letter template
OPEN 2020 is the year’s premier STEM entrepreneurship education conference
Our annual conference is devoted to connecting educators across disciplines and geographies as we invent the future of entrepreneurship education and work together to move the field forward. With more than 100 sessions focused around 6 content tracks, the conference will teach attendees how to embrace an entrepreneurial mindset, expand participation in our programs, and grow our startup ecosystem through venture development, industry collaborations, and cross-campus partnerships.
Download our Session Worksheet
start new collaborations & explore exciting opportunities
OPEN gathers together representatives from across the innovation and entrepreneurship spectrum with the aim of building a robust community of educators in engineering, design, and the sciences. We share stories, start new collaborations, and learn emerging best practices in the rapidly evolving field of technology entrepreneurship education, and the arts and sciences. You’ll have the opportunity to attend a wealth of informative sessions, hear from high-profile speakers, and make lasting connections with key stakeholders in this unique community of educators and practitioners.
Start networking now with Whova
emphasize the impact
You’ll bring back best practices, new tools, and other actionable insights that you can implement right away– tools that you can share with your team, department, and organization. Show how the budget you receive to attend OPEN will yield a real and immediate ROI and empower you to make a lasting impact on your organization.
Download our Expense Worksheet
bring it home
Emphasize the continued benefits of the VentureWell community:
Ideas & Tools. Share your learning and by downloading slides, guides, and handouts—even for the sessions you couldn’t attend. Stay up to date on emerging best practices and industry trends by following the VentureWell blog, or find new tools and resources to implement in your program on our website.
Networking. Make good use of the connections and meeting notes you captured in Whova. You’ll still have access to the app when you’re back in the office—don’t forget to follow up with potential partners and connect with your new colleagues on LinkedIn.
Funding & Membership. VentureWell Members get generous discounts on our annual conference registration but the benefits don’t stop there. Take advantage of our other member perks—grants and funding, training and mentorship, world-class networking, exclusive resources, and so much more.