The new Princeton University Empower conference strives to broaden opportunities for academic entrepreneurs from different historically underrepresented groups. This first conference in the series, Empower 2021, will focus on Black entrepreneurs from throughout academia, bringing together national thought-leaders to share actionable knowledge and tools that can help transform university discoveries into companies and ventures that advance societal and economic progress.

Empower 2021 will also feature a pitch competition offering a $100,000 top cash prize, bundles of in-kind services, one-to-one meetings with select venture capital firms, and expert mentoring and coaching.

Explore the path to entrepreneurial success and positive societal impact for academic-driven innovations by Black faculty, graduate students and postdocs in deep tech and social sciences

Engage with experts across the three stages of university startups – starting, funding and scaling

Network with fellow founders and investors in the commercialization of university-developed intellectual property

Celebrate with some of the nation’s best academic spinouts during a pitch competition in which presenting companies will compete for significant cash and in-kind prizes