Nationally-known researchers, entrepreneurs, members of academia and innovators will gather on the CWRU campus October 26-28 for the school’s inaugural Innovation Summit 2015: Models of Innovation.

Organizers plan to explore how trends like the maker movement, startup accelerators and networking forums are cultivating innovation ecosystems. The summit will examine how regions and industries have created different innovation models that improve economic opportunity and cultural amenities, and how these models can be replicated.

“We’re taking a comprehensive approach,” says Joe Jankowski, CWRU’s chief innovation officer. “It’s our first innovation summit and we’re excited to take a multi-disciplinary, connected approach.”

Models of Innovation will have something for everyone, Jankowski promises. “We’re not focusing on any one given area,” he says, adding that the whole event was the university’s brain child. “Think of cool gadgets coming out, the next medical device, drivers of change and improvement. It’s not just technology, but also finance and social justice.”

The summit will also give attendees a chance for a first look at think[box], Case’s innovation and entrepreneurship center.

The speaker lineup for the conference is an impressive array of global innovation leaders. Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese, will kick off the summit, followed by Ellen Williams, director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).

Other speakers include Priceline founder Jeff Hoffman and Burton D. Morgan Foundation president and CEO Deborah Hoover.

Student startups and technology-enabled classrooms will be on exhibit throughout the event. Other programs include discussions divided into innovation by region and innovation by industry, panel discussions, networking and lectures.

Models of Innovation was purposely scheduled to coincide with the Cleveland Clinic Innovations Medical Innovation Summit, BioOhio Annual Conference and Cleveland Clinic’s Nursing Innovation Summit. There are opportunities for attendees to join sessions across summits and participate in collaborative events.

Registration is required and includes access to all sessions and evening networking and social engagements, as well as breakfast and lunch for all three days.