Introducing McGuire Innovation Talks

McGuire Innovation Talks is a new fun and informal series at iSpace every other Thursday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Join McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship faculty and partners as they bring entrepreneurship topics to life through the lens of pop culture and society. McGuire Innovation Talks are free and open to the public. UA students from all fields of study are invited to attend!

2017 Schedule

Feb. 9: Animated Entrepreneurship: Startup Lessons From Pixar                                        

Understanding startups through the lens of animated film, McGuire faculty Dan Janes and Rick Yngve will talk about how the success at Pixar can be applied to startups to build an innovative culture to drive new technologies.

Talk hosted by Rick Yngve and Dan Janes

Feb. 23: Digital Access, Inclusivity, and Indigenous Populations                                            

Mike Miles, leader of Microsoft’s Datacenter Community Engagement Project, will talk about the impact of digital access and inclusivity to underserved communities. McGuire faculty member Tristan Reader, who also teaches in American Indian Studies, will build upon the talk, explaining how digital storytelling is creating new innovations within these communities.

Talk hosted by Mike Miles and Tristan Reader

March 9: What’s My Story?                                                                                           

Storytelling is important to the success of entrepreneurs and innovators. Learn from Mark Peterson, a McGuire Entrepreneurship lecturer, on how you can effectively communicate value to stand out from others. Presentation will include examples of powerful "stories". 

Talk hosted by Mark Peterson

NEW DATE: March 30: Super Entrepreneurs: From Imagination to Reality                                                             

Comic book giants like Marvel Entertainment have seen their dreams and imaginations grow from the pages of comics into modern day industries. McGuire faculty Dan Janes and Rick Yngve will share how the comic book industry continues to innovate and how entrepreneurs have brought comics to life.

Talk hosted by Rick Yngve and Dan Janes 

April 13: Rogue Entrepreneurs: An Ecosystem of Startups and Innovation around Star Wars   

While most people know how George Lucas created a vast Star Wars universe, many do not realize how he consistently pushed for innovation to leverage talent and technology to improve his films. McGuire faculty Dan Janes & Rick Yngve will share how Lucas created his own innovation ecosystem including Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound. This led to an ecosystem of startups such as Spheros - who created the robotics behind fan favorite BB-8.

Talk hosted by Rick Yngve and Dan Janes

For more information, contact Julie Forster at the McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship forstejm@email.arizona.edu.