
Join us at the Innovators Summit and drive growth in 2024
Innovators and experts are converging in Boston to focus on one big thing: GROWTH. If you want to explore innovation growth drivers and discover ways to stay at the forefront of innovation, don’t miss the Innovators Summit from May 15-17.
- WHY ATTEND
- AGENDA
- SPEAKERS
- HOTEL
- PARTNERS
- KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
What to Expect at the Innovators Summit
- Understand how other organizations are quantifying R&D value and the metrics they are using for innovation.
- Hear new approaches to internal upskilling and crafting the workforce of the future.
- Learn how Honeywell, Henkel, and AZEK are integrating sustainability into their innovation pipeline and processes.
- Discover ways to adapt your innovation processes and structures to today’s fast pace of change.
- Hear how RTX (formerly Raytheon) is working to increase speed and agility through digitalization.
What You Will Gain

Build Relationships: Connect with subject matter experts, industry leaders, and fellow innovators during formal and informal networking time.

Collaborate: Find your next partner, big idea, or solution to a challenge during collaborative, interactive workshops and breakout sessions.

Get Cutting-Edge Insights: Straight from the experts, get a combination of high-level perspective and practical action items you can apply to your organization.

Meet the Experts: Rub elbows with keynotes and other top innovators during exclusive small group discussions.

Get Practical with AI: Learn how to use AI tools to enhance creativity and new product development.

Gain Action Steps for Sustainability: Hear from regulatory and sustainable manufacturing experts on ways to meet your sustainability targets, from metrics to Scope 3 to life cycle analyses.

Discuss Timely Topics: Participate in small-group discussions during lunch to tackle some of the biggest issues facing innovators today.

Tech Treks: Join a Tech Trek to New Balance or a an MIT briefing.
Wednesday, May 15 |
---|
12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Interactive Welcome Lunch Room: Skyline Ballroom |
1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks Room: Grand Ballroom |
1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. General Session: Increasing Speed and Agility through Digitalization and AI This panel discussion will dive deep into the work that RTX (formerly Raytheon) and a energy company have done to increase the speed and agility of their innovation and R&D through the implementation of digital tools, including AI. Topics to be covered include rapid prototyping and iteration, selection and roll out of new tools, and the development of tools in house vs. external partnering. Panelists: Alberto Ferrari, RTX (formerly Raytheon), and Alyssa Mueller, Senior Advisor, Digital at Hess Facilitator: Jerry Grunewald, Invista Room: Grand Ballroom |
2:15 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. General Session: The Innovation Metrics Journey – Showing Value Without a Doubt This session will feature the journey that Owens Corning has been on to adopt new metrics for innovation. Speakers will share the change management process, the digital and automated tools that make the metrics possible, and how the metrics will be used to optimize the company’s innovation portfolio and demonstrate Owen’s Corning’s industry leadership in innovation to key stakeholders. Presenters: Sylvia Little, Carmen LaTorre and Pete Weddington, Owens Corning Room: Grand Ballroom |
3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Networking Break Room: Ballroom Foyer |
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Fishbowl facilitated discussions focused on: (Select one of the topics below when you register.) – How AI will impact your organization and your role – Room: Michelangelo – Methods for better integrating sustainability into your organization’s strategy and processes – Room: Olympia – New ideas and structures for improving your innovation processes – Room: Queen Mary |
4:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Transition Break |
4:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. General Session: Update: How will regulations around PFAS and other ESG issues impact you? Get the full download on what is happening with PFAS regulations, the impacts the US presidential election could have, global regulations, and what may be regulated next. Fireside chat with Michael Davin, Director, Domestic Economic Policy, at the National Association of Manufacturers and Laura Buen Abad, Vice President, Technology and Marketing, Sonoco Room: Grand Ballroom |
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Networking Reception Room: Harborside Pavilion |
Thursday, May 16 |
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Breakfast Room: Skyline Ballroom |
8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. Opening Remarks Room: Grand Ballroom |
8:45 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Keynote: Sustainability and the Innovation Pipeline at Honeywell Fireside chat with Gavin Towler, Corporate Chief Scientist Sustainability Technologies & Chief Sustainability Officer, Honeywell and Portia Yarborough, Chief Science and Sustainability Officer, Michelman Learn about Honeywell’s approach to sustainability in innovation, from reducing carbon footprints in labs, to calculating Scope 3 emissions for new products, to revamping how they think about sustainability in new product development. Gavin Towler takes a deep dive into this diverse, global company’s sustainability efforts both large and small and the steps they are taking to innovate a sustainable future. Room: Grand Ballroom |
9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Keynote: Quantifying and Generating Value through R&D and Innovation at Lubrizol Fireside chat with Julie Edgar, Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer at The Lubrizol Corporation and Lee Green, IRI Julie Edgar shares the work that she and her team at Lubrizol have done to generate value for the organization through both innovation and R&D efforts and also how they have demonstrated that to the C-suite and throughout the organization as a whole, positioning R&D as a key driver of top line growth. Room: Grand Ballroom |
10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Networking Break Room: Ballroom Foyer |
10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Workshops Innovation Metrics This workshop addresses two key questions for organizational leaders: Why invest in strategic innovation, which explores new opportunities beyond current capabilities, and what metrics matter and how to track progress? The session includes evidence from various industries, discussions on strategic innovation objectives, and a template for a Strategic Innovation Scorecard to guide participants in tracking their organization’s progress. Facilitator: Gina O’Connor, Professor of Innovation Management, Babson College Room: Michelangelo Using AI to Expand the Creative Space in Product Conceptualization Explore the ways in which new products and services are being created using new AI tools. Delve into the five critical aspects of new offerings: corporate product borders and expansions, market positioning changes driven by new technologies, driving demand creation and product attractiveness, product and service line expansions, and the incorporation of new technologies into current offerings. Facilitator: Joe Mazzeo, Crossfire Consulting Room: Olympia Practical AI: Listening to Your Consumers at Scale In this session, we’ll explore using the new vCon Internet standard to introduce AI applications in today’s enterprise landscape. vCon captures recorded customer conversations, which, when integrated with Learning Language Models (LLMs) like OpenAI and Bard, offer various benefits including mass customization, operational insights, and market research. We’ll also discuss document-centered AI fundamentals, relevant business cases, and data security and privacy considerations. Facilitator: Thomas Howe, Network Researcher and Designer, Strolid Room: Queen Mary |
12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Networking Lunch Take a breather from formal session content to digest (literally and figuratively!) and refresh with lively discussions your fellow attendees. Join a topic table based on IRI’s 2024 Innovation Growth Drivers (below) or join peers for a more free ranging discussion. – Quantifying and generating value for innovation and R&D – Building the innovation pipeline – Enhancing sustainability – Increasing speed and agility through digital – Building a future-ready workforce Room: Skyline Ballroom |
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Breakout Sessions Strategies for Sustainable Growth and Innovation Outpace competition and navigate beyond the challenges that hinder innovation. In this session, you’ll gain a fresh understanding of 80/20, as it applies to leadership, growth, innovation, and overall company success. This session will provide tools, techniques, and real-world examples to help you craft strategies that improve performance and drive growth. Learn how and where to invest, cultivate a culture of innovation, and streamline operations. Join us to understand how applying an 80/20 strategy can elevate your company’s position—even in today’s economic climate. Speaker: Jenn Desrosiers, Managing Director 80/20, Strategex Room: Michelangelo Building a Resilient Culture to Navigate External Disruption Learn how to strengthen your organization’s culture to better prepare you to weather external challenges that are difficult to anticipate. The pandemic provided us all with a quick lesson in how resilient our organizations are when hit with sweeping, unexpected change. IRI and Babson College partnered to study companies’ responses and what R&D would look like in the ‘next normal’. Drawing on these responses, we’ve been able to identify best practices for companies that weathered these changes well. Join the session to learn from these best practices to better future-proof your organization. Speaker: Sebastian Fixson, Jonathan Sims, and Gina O’Connor, Babson College Room: Olympia AI and Knowledge Management Many believe that Artificial Intelligence and in particular Large Language Models will revolutionize many industries. With great expectations also come great risks of overlooking the foundations on which models are built. This increases the risk of falling into similar pitfalls as in the past when large AI initiatives failed to deliver on expectations. This session will focus on how to manage the knowledge that feeds AI, in particular the three main pillars that serve as foundations for good AI applications and models: data quality, technology, and expertise. Facilitator: Christopher Cogswell, Elsevier Room: Queen Mary |
2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Networking Break Room: Ballroom Foyer |
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Facilitated General Session: Anticipating Innovation Challenges for the Future This facilitated session will delve into current trends, internal dynamics, emerging technologies, collaboration strategies, and ethical considerations to collectively foresee and address the challenges that will shape the innovation landscape over the next year. Facilitator: Lee Green, IRI Room: Grand Ballroom |
4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. General Session: Integrating Sustainability Goals into Innovation with Henkel and AZEK This panel will explore the intersection of sustainability and innovation processes, shedding light on how organizations integrate sustainability goals into their product development strategies. Panelists will delve into the intricacies of incorporating sustainability criteria into StageGate and other innovation processes, ensuring that organizational sustainability goals are woven into the fabric of innovation. The discussion will highlight the pivotal role of customer insights derived from sustainable preferences, emphasizing the importance of aligning products with the evolving market landscape. Facilitator: Nancy Mancilla Panelists: Joel Schall, Henkel, and Dan Boss, The AZEK Company Room: Grand Ballroom |
4:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Closing Room: Grand Ballroom |
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Innovation Celebration and Reception Join us in celebrating IRI’s Innovation Excellence Award winners who have represented unwavering commitment to innovation! Room: Grand Ballroom |
Friday, May 17 |
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Breakfast Room: Skyline Ballroom |
8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. General Session Room: Grand Ballroom |
8:15 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. General Session: Schneider Electrics Journey Facilitator: Landon Boyer, Schneider Electric Room: Grand Ballroom |
8:45 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. General Session: Six Steps to Turn Foresight into Roadmapping We all know we should look out into the future to see where to focus, but too often those activities do not result in action. Join us to hear how Carlisle Construction Materials, a leading provider of roofing solutions, worked with NewEdge to leverage Opportunity thinking to translate the future into opportunities and develop roadmaps that guide capturing a bigger position in the market. We describe 6 steps to move from trends to plans. We start with a highly pragmatic approach to foresight, map those insights onto the company DNA, translate insights into opportunities. Leverage the ecosystem for richer insight, map the portfolio today and in the future, and vet those roadmaps with the ecosystem. While still on the journey our goal is to provide an end -to-end view of how the future can be turned into action and growth Presenters: Bill Crawford, Carlisle Construction Materials and Pam Henderson, New Edge Room: Grand Ballroom |
9:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Tech Treks Sign up at registration! Limited spots available. Participate on a transformative journey with our one of our Tech Treks, where you’ll explore cutting-edge innovations and industry insights. Choose from two immersive experiences, including a captivating briefing led by experts from MIT and New Balance. Dive deep into emerging technologies and strategic mapping, gaining invaluable knowledge to drive your organization forward. Join us for a unique learning adventure that promises to inspire and inform. Choose from: MIT Briefing: How can your organization prosper in MIT’s Innovation ecosystem? Is Open Innovation really working for your organization? This exclusive interactive executive briefing will focus on the vibrant culture of innovation-driven entrepreneurship at MIT and will explore what it takes to succeed in such an innovation ecosystem. Speakers will provide tangible examples of what works and what does not work in such an environment. So, if you are interested in learning and engaging, don’t miss this opportunity to gain strategic insights and actionable knowledge. Come and join the discourse on campus! Meeting location: Registration Desk New Balance: Sports Research Lab The New Balance Sports Research Lab is a team of Sports Scientists situated within innovation. There are 3 pillars of Sports Research Lab work, these pillars include 1) New Balance Athlete Insights Engine, 2) Foundational Research, and 3) Innovation Partnerships. With the data collected at Boston Landing, the Sports Research Lab is able to obtain standardized athlete movement and interview data with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment that lead to innovative products and experiences for New Balance consumers. The TRACK at New Balance has over 19,000 square feet dedicated to the New Balance Sports Research Lab. Outfitted with high tech imaging, 360-degree motion capture equipment, force plates that measure foot depression, a state-of-the-art hyperbaric chamber and more, the Sports Research Lab further solidifies New Balance’s position as a leader in sport innovation and technology. New Balance Opens Doors to a World-Class Multi-Sport Facility, The TRACK at New Balance (newsmarket.com) Meeting location: Registration Desk |

This year’s lineup of speakers includes industry pioneers, thought leaders, and visionaries who will inspire and educate attendees on the latest trends, strategies, and best practices in innovation. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with fellow innovators and learn from the best in the field!




Gavin Towler
Corporate Chief Scientist, Sustainability Technologies & Chief Sustainability Officer, Honeywell











Laura Buen Abad
Vice President of Technology and Marketing, Thermoformed and Flexible Packaging, Sonoco


Sebastian Fixson
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Innovation at the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business, and Professor of Innovation & Design, Babson College


Nancy Mancilla
Founder and CEO Environ ISOS Group




Group Rate Information

Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor
Book before Monday, April 22, 2024
IRI Innovators Summit
To make your reservations by phone, call 1 (617) 568-1234 and reference the NAM IRI Innovators Summit.
To make the most of your experience, take advantage of our exclusive group rate at the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor, where a block of rooms has been reserved for just $259.00 per night. To make reservations online, please click on the reservation link above, the group rate will automatically be applied.
The cut-off date for reservations at the group rate is Monday, April 22, 2024, however once the room block is filled (which may be before cut-off) availability and group rate are not guaranteed.
Hotel parking details can be found here.
Overnight self-parking is $49.00.
Overnight Valet parking is $54.00.
Partnership Opportunities with the IRI 2024 Innovators Summit
Review our 2023 sponsor prospectus to learn what benefits sponsorship can bring. If you are interested in partnering with us, please fill out the form below or email Anna Chongpinitchai at AChongpinitchai@iriweb.org.
Thank you to our sponsors.





Who You’ll Meet
IRI’s Innovators Summit is designed for Directors, VPs, and leaders of R&D, innovation, new product development, technology, engineering, and growth. Past attendees at IRI events come from industry leaders such as Campbells, Boeing, Mars, PPG, Nestle Purina Petcare, NASA, National Gypsum, BASF, A.O. Smith, USG, and many more!
What to Expect
The IRI connects you with a community of innovators and experts who can help you increase speed to market, save time and costs, and bring out the best in your team. To keep you on the leading edge of innovation management, the IRI provides content, training, and peer-to-peer opportunities focused on six critical issues determined by your peers each year. Experience fireside chats, workshops, pre-event activities, cocktail receptions, breakout sessions, and Tech Treks.

Attire
The dress code for this event is business casual.
The business casual dress code typically includes collared shirts, slacks, dresses, skirts, blouses, and closed-toe shoes. We recommend avoiding jeans, t-shirts, sneakers, or overly casual clothing items while maintaining a professional appearance.
Attire required for Tech Treks: Closed toed shoes, no heels, long pants, no shorts / skirts.
Business Cards
We encourage attendees to bring business cards to network and exchange contact information easily with other attendees, fostering valuable professional connections. They serve as convenient tools for making a lasting impression and staying connected beyond the event.
Nearby Airport
Boston Logan International Airport
Tech Treks
Tech treks are guided tours of local labs offering participants insights into the latest advancements, industry trends, and networking opportunities within the tech field. It’s an immersive experience to explore and learn from professionals in the technology industry.
Hotel Parking
Hotel parking details can be found here.
Overnight self-parking is $49.00
Overnight Valet parking is $54.00
5 Innovation Growth Drivers
To maximize the value you receive from the Innovators Summit, the entire agenda is curated to address the top five growth drivers in innovation, as determined by your peers each year.
- Increase innovation ROI
- Improve the innovation pipeline
- Enhance sustainability
- Create a future-ready workforce
- Boost speed and agility with digitalization
