The Conrad Foundation's Innovation Summit

We are excited to invite you to join the Conrad Foundation at NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California for our Innovation Summit. This event is the culmination of the Conrad Foundation’s Spirit of Innovation Awards program and is the launch pad for breakthrough technologies from high school inventors.

On April 8-10^th leading entrepreneurs, scientists, and government officials will join the top young innovators and their teachers in a collaborative, peer-to-peer forum to discuss innovative technologies and ignite the creative abilities of young minds to solve the grand challenges of the 21st century. The Innovation Summit is a one-of-a-kind event where seasoned business professionals engage with top young entrepreneurs.

Over the past year, 25 finalist teams have been developing their own products that they will be presenting to win grants, scholarships, recognition, and opportunities to continue developing their ideas. This year’s competition categories include Aerospace Exploration, Renewable Energy, Green Schools, and Space Nutrition.

In addition to our student finalist presentations, this year's summit will feature thought-provoking discussion panels and Keynote speeches from top figures in science and entrepreneurship. The full schedule can be found here. Key participants in these sessions include:

• Steve Isakowitz, CFO of the Department of Energy  - "Lights On!" session keynote.
• Richard Garriott, Serial entrepreneur and Space Explorer - Opening Ceremony
• Jon Wellinghoff, Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission - Opening Ceremony
• Ed Lu, Former Astronaut, Google Inc. - "Food for Thought" session keynote
• Patrick Martin, World-renouned Master of Illusion - "Science of Magic" keynote
• Steve Westly, Former CFO, State of California - luncheon keynote
• Alexsis Jones, CBS Survivor contestant, Founder IAMTHATGIRL.com - breakfast keynote
• Fred Nasem, "Turn-around Specialist" and serial entrepreneur - luncheon keynote
• Anousheh Ansari, CEO Prodea Systems, Space Explorer - "Kickin' Butt in Business" keynote
• Miles O'Brien, Former CNN Science and Technology Correspondent - Closing Ceremony
• Lori Garver, Deputy Administrator of NASA - Closing Ceremony

Due to facility limitations, we have limits on the number of participants. There is no set fee for attendance, although donations are accepted. Instead, we ask attendees to assist in judging at least one of the finalist presentation sessions:

• Aerospace Exploration1 - Friday April 9, 9am to 11am
• Green Schools1 - Friday April 9, 11am to 12:30pm
• Renewable Energy1 - Friday April 9, 2pm - 4:30pm
• Aerospace Exploration2 - Saturday April 10, 9am to 11am
• Renewable Energy2 - Saturday April 10, 11am to 12:30pm
• Space Nutrition1 - Saturday April 10, 2:30 - 4:00pm

We are excited to host this event and look forward to seeing many of you at the Innovation Summit!

This year the Summit is held in conjunction with the bay area Yuri’s Night celebration (www.ynba.org). Yuri’s Night commemorates mankind’s first venture into space, by Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on April 12, 1961, and the launch of the first Space Shuttle by NASA exactly twenty years later. It is the largest annual celebration of space exploration — and of mankind’s curiosity, scientific and technical achievements. As a Speaker you will have VIP access to the Yuri's Night activities as well.

The Innovation Summit is not the end of the program for any of us, it is the Launch pad. We are excited to host this event and are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with such amazing partners to make this possible.