Catalyst
The Catalyst newsletter is a monthly publication that spotlights components of the state’s innovation ecosystem. Each month, we feature a column written by a leader from the tech community, highlight innovation news in Illinois, or offer perspective on current issues in the innovation community. Catalyst is the best way to stay up-to-date on all things science and technology in Illinois.

CATALYST CONVERSATIONS: Fighting Our Environmental Crisis with Fermentation
CATALYST CONVERSATIONS: Fighting Our Environmental Crisis with Fermentation According to Boston Consulting Group, dollar for dollar, investing in protein and dairy alternatives does far more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stave off climate change, than green...

CATALYST CONVERSATIONS: Fueling Student Excitement in the Future of STEM
CATALYST CONVERSATIONS: Fueling Student Excitement in the Future of STEM ISTC’s Education programs are dedicated to providing STEM opportunities to students by getting them hands-on experiences to better introduce them and expose them to not only STEM pathways that...

CATALYST CONVERSATIONS: Working towards equity in tech for women and non-binary founders
CATALYST CONVERSATIONS: Working Towards Equity for Women and Non-Binary Founders In the fall of 2020, Pivotal Ventures, Melinda Gates’s investment and incubation company, in partnership with Break Through Tech (formerly WiTNY, founded at Cornell Tech) and SecondMuse,...

CATALYST CONVERSATIONS: Making Space and Pushing Policy to Support Immigrant Entrepreneurship
CATALYST CONVERSATIONS: Making Space and Pushing Policy to Support Immigrant Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship and business creation is fundamental to a healthy economy. Immigrants in particular play an important role in creating jobs as they are more likely to start...

Catalyst Conversations: Building Bridges: Exploring how Government and Tech can Grow Forward Together
CATALYST CONVERSATIONS: Building Bridges: Exploring how Government and Tech can Grow Forward Together From one of the Midwest’s largest cryptocurrency mining facilities to a Chicago-based Bitcoin ATM operator, Illinois is becoming fertile ground for the fast-growing...

Catalyst Conversations: Solution for healthcare equity in Chicago and what’s possible across the state of Illinois
CATALYST CONVERSATIONS: SOLUTION FOR HEALTHCARE EQUITY IN CHICAGO AND WHAT'S POSSIBLE ACROSS THE STATE OF ILLINOIS The pandemic has shone a bright light on persistent, systemic inequities in this country. Unequal access to economic opportunities, education, resources,...

Catalyst Conversations: Sustained Action for Gender Equity and the Planet
SUSTAINED ACTION FOR GENDER EQUITY AND THE PLANET March is Women’s History Month, a time to remember, celebrate and empower women. Historically, it has been celebrated to shine the light on women’s contributions to the world and highlight the work that remains to be...

Catalyst Conversations: 2021 Reflections and looking forward
2021 Reflections and Looking Forward History will remember 2021 as another year in unprecedented times. We have all gone through numerous changes, faced new challenges, and experienced great growth in all facets of life. In this edition of Catalyst, we ask some of...

Catalyst Conversations: The Power of Mentorship In Action
THE POWER OF MENTORSHIP IN ACTION On November 18, 2021, the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition, in partnership with The Darkest Horse, hosted the first-ever Mentor Summit -- a virtual opportunity for leaders to collaborate, examine, and reflect on best...

Celebrating Women Within Innovation
Celebrating Women Within Innovation Last week, Friday (11/19/21) was Women’s Entrepreneurship Day--a celebration of the countless women who are so vital to the advancement of innovation and economic growth around the world. In this month’s Catalyst, we highlight a few...

Catalyst Conversations: DePaul’s Unique Approach to Entrepreneurship
Q&A WITH Maija Renko Professor and Coleman Chair of Entrepreneurship, DePaul University During the COVID-19 pandemic, entrepreneurship has been critical for companies both large and small. In this issue of Catalyst Conversations, we chat with Maija...

Catalyst Conversations: Kaplan Institute Empowering the Next Generation of Tech Leaders
Q&A WITH MARYAM SALEH Executive Director of the Kaplan Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship, Illinois Institute of Technology In this issue of Catalyst, we sit down with Maryam Saleh, Executive Director of the Kaplan Institute for Innovation...

Support Illinois Innovation Vouchers
How leveraging the R&D resources of colleges and universities can boost our recovery. By Matthew Bragg, Director, ISTC Research and development (R&D) is the lifeblood of innovation. It’s the process by which businesses create new products and services to grow...

Catalyst Conversations: Innovation at Southern Illinois University
Illinois’ universities are regional economic hubs—attracting talent, conducting research and development activity, and fostering entrepreneurship that leads to the creation of strong jobs. In this Catalyst Conversations, we hear from Robert Patino, JD, Director of...

What the Biden Administration Means for Innovation
By Matthew Bragg, Director, ISTC With the Biden administration now in the White House, and a typically short window for substantive policy change, several innovation-related proposals seem likely to be considered in the months to come. In this Catalyst, we focus on...

Catalyst Conversations: Launching a Pioneering Quantum Startup
In October, we partnered with the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) to explore the evolving landscape of Quantum Information Science (QIS) in Illinois—including how researchers in the state are learning to harness the technology and building relationships with industry...

Beyond the Index: Innovating Through a Global Pandemic
Leveraging R&D collaborations to speedtrack Illinois’ economic recovery By Matthew Bragg, Director, ISTC Research & development (R&D) is the lifeblood of innovation. Illinois’ universities, businesses and federal labs all use R&D to create new...

Rising to the Challenges of Today’s Innovation Economy and Talent Pipeline
Welcome to this edition of Catalyst and thank you for your continued membership, partnership, and support. The Illinois Science and Technology Coalition and the Institute, even through these extraordinary times, have continued to lead in strengthening the state’s...
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