The second edition of iMatSci—Innovation in Materials Science—provides materials-based innovators with a platform to demonstrate the practical applications of their technologies, while connecting these innovators to potential sources of venture capital. An international pool of startups will be judged by professional technology innovators and will compete for cash prizes.

A keynote address on Transformational Innovation by Stephen Forrest, University of Michigan, kicks off the event, which also features a panel discussion on early-stage investment and venture funding.

Forrest is a professor of electrical engineering and computer science, physics, and materials science and engineering at the University of Michigan. He holds a BA degree in physics from the University of California–Berkeley, and MSc and PhD degrees in physics from the University of Michigan. He has authored ∼554 papers in refereed journals and holds 280 patents. In May 2015, Forrest was named the University of Michigan’s Distinguished University Innovator. He is co-founder or founding participant of several companies, and serves on the board of governors of the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology.

The Venture Funding Panel Discussion provides a mechanism to examine early-stage investment opportunities, assist entrepreneurs and early-stage growth companies, and be a quality source for information. Get your venture funding questions answered, such as How can I fund my venture with someone else’s money? What do angel investors and venture capital investors look at when making a funding decision? What do angels and ventures fund? For more information about iMatSci events, visit www.mrs.org/spring-2016-imatsci.