How Schools can Drive Innovation

Transforming Academic Culture: Faculty Incentives and Innovation Education (4/5) Universities hoping to drive economic development must address a fundamental tension: traditional academic reward systems often discourage the very commercialization activities needed to build innovation ecosystems. The conventional "publish or perish" model rewards journal publications while frequently overlooking patents, startups, and industry partnerships. Progressive institutions now incorporate these entrepreneurial outputs into promotion and tenure decisions, recognizing them as valuable academic contributions that deserve professional recognition. Faculty members pursuing promising commercialization opportunities should be able to temporarily reduce teaching loads without harming their career trajectories. Creating split appointments between academic departments and innovation centers provides the institutional support and time allocation that serious entrepreneurial efforts require. Equally important is integrating innovation directly into the educational experience. Universities should develop interdisciplinary courses that span multiple departments, breaking down the silos that often prevent breakthrough thinking. Problem-based learning experiences that tackle real industry challenges bring authentic market needs into the classroom environment. The most forward-looking institutions now offer "startup studio" programs where students build actual ventures for academic credit, learning entrepreneurship through direct experience rather than case studies. Innovation certificates that complement traditional degrees allow students to demonstrate entrepreneurial capabilities without compromising their core academic focus. How is your university evolving its faculty incentives and educational offerings to foster innovation? What cultural changes would help your institution become a more effective economic catalyst? #FacultyIncentives #InnovationEducation #AcademicCulture #Entrepreneurship (4/5 in a series on university-led innovation)

The schools that lead with AI aren’t just trying tools. They’re building teams and cultures where AI works with people, instead of replacing them. That’s not just a mindset shift. It’s a strategic advantage. Here’s how some of the boldest school systems we're working with are setting the standard: ➡️ Desert Sands USD created the first AI guidance framework focused on human decision-making, shifting AI from a compliance concern to a powerful tool for human agency, balancing innovation and integrity. ➡️ Santa Ana Unified launched the Innovation Catalyst Collective, a cross-functional team ensuring AI enhances every aspect of the organization, from classrooms to operations. ➡️ Orange County Department of Education appointed two dedicated AI leaders and hosts monthly strategy sessions where district leaders collaborate, align, and co-design AI’s role across the region. ➡️ San Gabriel Valley USD launched a human-centered leadership cohort bringing teams together to work on passion projects that can be accelerated using AI to design new ways of working and learning. Different approaches. One common theme: ✅ They started with clarity: avoiding the hype and panic to focus on real, strategic action. ✅ They built with empathy: listening deeply to the needs of students, teachers, administrators, and community members. ✅ They prioritized agency: ensuring AI amplifies human judgment rather than replacing it. This is the real roadmap cycle to AI integration: Explore → Navigate → Strategize → Repeat. We call this creating your AI Power Circle, a six-month hybrid program designed to help school leaders build a future-ready strategy that’s grounded in people, purpose, and trust. Let’s design a future where AI works for you, helping your organization thrive in ways you never imagined. And this week I'm taking you behind the scenes into a workshop over on Substack. Tag a fellow school leader who’s ready to explore what’s possible! #AIinEducation #Leadership #FutureofLearning #AILiteracy #AGI #innovation #management #humanresources

95% of teens have smartphones, and half report being online "almost constantly" — a 24% increase in just a decade. The knee-jerk reaction? "Less screen time." But what if that's the wrong approach? Instead of "How do we reduce screen time?" perhaps we should be asking: "How do we transform screen time into something valuable?" At our tech schools across America, we've discovered that deliberate screen time can actually double learning speed. The data proves it: Our Brownsville school took kids from the 31st percentile to the 86th in just one year. The 5 Elements of Transformative Screen Time 1. Creation Over Consumption Our 3rd graders don't watch YouTube - they: • Produce news broadcasts • Build business plans with ChatGPT • Program self-driving cars and drones • Create school ambassador presentations 2. AI-Powered Personalization Every student gets a custom AI tutor that: • Adapts to their exact level • Adjusts material in real-time • Identifies knowledge gaps instantly • Tracks genuine mastery (not memorization) 3. Strategic Time Limits The secret is just 2 hours of focused tech learning daily. The rest is hands-on projects and real-world skills. This isn't theory—we've proven it across 10+ schools. 4. Building Status Through Contribution Research shows teens desperately need to feel competent and valuable. We transform passive scrolling into active creation, where students build real confidence through meaningful digital contributions. 5. Adult-Guided Innovation Parents and teachers don't just monitor—they collaborate: • Join coding projects • Review business plans • Guide content creation • Shape tech habits actively What have our results been? Students are more engaged, learning faster, and developing skills they'll actually use. The digital world isn't going away anytime soon. Traditional schools use tech to deliver the same old lectures. We use it to unleash potential. The challenge isn't screen time itself. It's teaching kids to use technology as a tool for growth instead of an escape from boredom. Because the next generation of entrepreneurs, creators, and innovators won't come from less screen time. They'll come from better screen time.

What makes the U.S. a hub for innovation? A key driver is its university ecosystem. At University of California, Berkeley we see this firsthand. Universities are not just about academic research and learning hard skills; they also serve as launchpads for scale-ups, attract top talent, provide cutting-edge resources, and foster a culture of risk-taking. 🌎But how does this translate to real-world impact? 1. Bridging Research & Commercialization: Universities develop deep-tech research advancements into technologies that start-ups can leverage, with programs designed to move innovations from the lab to the market. Berkeley’s “Challenge Lab” classes are one example of how this can be done at scale. Each semester, students choose between a half-dozen thematic courses (https://lnkd.in/grEfvSK6) that challenge them to solve big problems: Big means an accessible market of at least 1 billion and a business potential of at least 100 million in annual revenue. Many use what they learned or researched on to test if there is enough potential to create a start-up company. The winners of each class compete against each other for investment, spaces at the university-attached incubator, publicity, and an award to mention in their resumes. 2. Talent & Ecosystem Access: With a steady flow of world-class researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors, universities provide a unique environment for startups to scale globally. And success leads to company of more success. Each award, successful spin-off company and impressive exits, more of the brightest and most motivated students join the university to be with like-minded. Student-run entrepreneurship or investor clubs or physical spaces such as The eHub at Berkeley (powered by Haas) or Skydeck (https://lnkd.in/gRa_Evgx) allow communities to form and start-up teams to emerge. 3. Strategic Partnerships and Alumni: Many corporates and VCs engage with university-led ventures, de-risking early-stage technologies and accelerating market entry. Berkeley alumnis created The House Fund to exclusively invest in Berkeley-affiliated start-ups. For scale-ups, investors, and advisors, tapping into this ecosystem isn’t just an option—it’s a strategic advantage. And in Silicon Valley they are excellent at connecting the dots. No wonder that the top 2 spots of universities creating the most start-up companies are held by two great Silicon Valley engineering universities (https://lnkd.in/gvDkTcuB). P.S: Here’s a pic of team Levitree after winning 2nd place at the university-wide Collider Cup 2024 (https://lnkd.in/g6FyQ_3q). The team used my Challenge Lab class to develop a simulator of consequences for oceanfront or riverfront properties from sea level rises or flooding using data from NOAA, NASA, and databases on past flooding events. The result surely impressed the judges and helped Levitree with a tool for their marketing and sales.

SELFIE Success Stories: Empowering Schools Digitally #SELFIE stands for "Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering Innovation through Educational Technology." It is an online self-assessment tool developed by the European Commission to help schools reflect on their use of digital technologies and support their digital transformation. Schools use SELFIE to assess their digital readiness, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies for integrating digital technologies effectively into teaching and learning practices. It allows schools to self-assess their digital capabilities, policies, and practices, providing valuable insights for decision-making and planning . SELFIE helps countries by providing aggregated data at the regional or national level, which can be used for policy monitoring and refinement. Ministries can use the data to understand the digital readiness of schools, identify trends, and tailor policies and support mechanisms to enhance digital transformation in education . SELFIE serves as a valuable tool for schools and countries to assess their digital readiness, drive strategic planning for digital transformation, and foster a culture of self-reflection and collective responsibility in the use of digital technologies in education. .... Schools are using the results from SELFIE in various ways to drive their digital transformation and improve their use of digital technologies in education. Some common ways in which schools are using the results include: 1. Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses: Schools use the SELFIE results to identify their strengths and weaknesses in the use of digital technologies. This helps them understand areas where they are excelling and areas that need improvement. 2. Setting Priorities: After analyzing the SELFIE report, schools use the information as an anchor for discussion to set priorities for their digital technology integration efforts. This allows schools to focus on specific areas that require attention and improvement. 3. Developing Action Plans: Schools use the SELFIE results to develop action plans for integrating digital technologies effectively into teaching and learning practices. The insights from SELFIE help schools make informed decisions and plan strategic initiatives for digital transformation. 4. Engaging in Collective Reflection: Schools engage in collective reflection with all stakeholders within the school community based on the SELFIE results. This collaborative approach allows schools to involve teachers, students, and school leaders in discussions about digital technology use and fosters a culture of shared responsibility for digital transformation . 5. Monitoring Progress: Schools use the SELFIE results as a baseline for monitoring progress in their digital transformation journey. By regularly assessing their digital readiness and comparing results over time, schools can track improvements and make adjustments to their strategies as needed.

I love this image as it sums up much of what has been happening in higher education and why we are seeing so many closures...colleges and universities have simply attempted to adjust what they have always done, instead of fundamentally rethinking their DNA. When we had 40 years of continuous growth, linear thinking worked. Given declining enrollments and resources, it won't work moving forward. Leaders need to bring more creativity to their roles. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁? Here are four opportunities based on our research: 📌𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹: Universities should shift their focus to a student-centric approach that prioritizes flexibility, personalized learning, and career relevance. This might include offering more online and hybrid courses, developing modular degree programs that allow for easier credit transfer and accumulation, and creating partnerships with industries to provide students with real-world experience and job placement support. 📌 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Universities, particularly those in multi-campus systems, should enhance collaboration across campuses and with external partners to share resources, expertise, and infrastructure. This could lead to more efficient operations, innovative joint programs, and a stronger collective impact on regional and global challenges. It could also mean developing shared services across campuses to reduce administrative costs and redundancy. 📌𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀: Beyond tuition and government funding, universities could explore new revenue-generating opportunities. This might include leveraging their real estate assets, developing corporate partnerships for research and innovation, offering lifelong learning opportunities, or creating spin-off companies from research and intellectual property. 📌𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁 𝗔𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Universities should move towards more agile and responsive governance structures that allow for quicker decision-making and adaptation to changing circumstances. This may involve flattening hierarchies, empowering cross-functional teams, and fostering a culture of experimentation and innovation. By being more adaptable, universities can better navigate the complexities of the modern educational landscape. How are you rethinking the DNA of your institution? Thanks to the folks at the System Innovation Hub for the graphic. #HigherEducation #UniversityLeadership #EducationInnovation #FutureOfEducation #EdTech #StudentSuccess #HigherEdTransformation #UniversityReform #AcademicLeadership #EducationalStrategy #Systemness #SharedServices

🚀 When a University Becomes an Economic Engine Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University just redefined what “higher education” should mean. And if your school isn’t doing this, you’re already behind. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University just added five innovation-driven companies to its Research Park in Daytona Beach — and in doing so, it’s pulled ahead as a national model for how universities catalyze regional economies, not just educate students. This is a strategic injection of jet fuel into Florida’s innovation economy (ba-dum-tiss! ✈️ ) At the heart of it all is the MicaPlex, more than just a building — a co-located ecosystem of startups, technologists, faculty, and students aligned around one goal: turning education into industry. Just announced, 5 very relevant companies: 1. PSI, an Italian aerospace firm now strategically embedded near the Space Coast; 2. X-1FBO Software, revolutionizing aviation ground operations and hiring from the ERAU student pool; 3. Tuvoli, a FinTech led by an Embry-Riddle alum, disrupting aviation payments; 4. RH Technologies, pushing hypersonics R&D further than DARPA; 5. Wave Vector Technologies, building hybrid optical/millimeter-wave links for space missions. These aren’t passive tenants, they are partners in real-time product development, research, and commercialization. HOW? ✅ Exportable innovation ✅ Inward investment ✅ Local talent pipelines that actually retain talent ✅ Cross-campus impact — from Florida to Arizona to the global ERAU network It’s everything economic development claims to want — but rarely does higher ed do it this well. ERAU is now a full-blown think tank, startup studio, and strategic investor. No more siloed departments → Students aren’t just learning about R&D; they’re embedded in it. No more “alumni as donors” → ERAU alumni like Tuvoli’s CEO return to build companies, not just write checks. Here’s what every university and EDO can take from this: → Don’t lease office space. Curate clusters. → Tie curriculum directly into real companies' workflows. → Stop pretending “tech transfer” means patents. It means people, pipelines, and products. → Think like a startup studio. Play offense. I’ve had the chance to get to know Embry-Riddle a little more closely than most. It’s a space suit wrapped around a GDP growth engine. And for those of us working in economic development, university innovation, or startup ecosystem strategy — this is your how. I’m based in Austin, where IC2 Institute and the Austin Technology Incubator could be doubling down in similar ways with The University of Texas at Austin. This is the type of work I advocate for — and help build — with universities and regional leaders nationwide. Start with what works and double down ❤️