SHAPING INNOVATION LEADERS PROGRAM
June 15 – 19, 2026 | Evanston, IL
The Premier Executive Management Program Designed for Innovation Leaders
Gain a competitive edge by equipping high-potential innovation leaders with critical business skills.
This intensive 5-day in-person program delivers the management skills, concepts, and tools that innovation leaders need to make more effective strategic decisions and become more confident business decision-makers and communicators.
Shaping Innovation Leaders deepens your understanding of key business areas and sharpens your ability to think strategically, evaluate financial results, and drive profitable growth. Through a series of expert lectures and interactive sessions, this rigorous program connects your technical expertise with business insights empowering you to make informed investments and collaborate effectively across business functions.
The IRI and Kellogg Experience
Shaping Innovation Leaders is held at the Kellogg Global Hub, at the heart of Northwestern’s Evanston campus overlooking Lake Michigan. Because learning should not be confined to the classroom, the Global Hub’s flexible and multifaceted building features a variety of signature convening spaces to inspire innovative forms of learning. This quiet campus environment is within close proximity of downtown Chicago and O’Hare International Airport. The program fee covers tuition and materials, a single guest room at the Orrington Hotel and group meals for the duration of the program.
The Innovation Research Interchange, in partnership with Northwestern University’s top-ranked Kellogg School of Management, specifically designed this program to meet the needs of demanding leadership roles in promising mid-level managers in research, development, innovation, technology, and engineering. Each cohort brings together a diverse group of cross-industry innovation leaders whose rich experiences create a vibrant learning environment where fresh perspectives and real-world experience drive meaningful and dynamic conversations.
This program is held at the Kellogg Global Hub, at the heart of Northwestern’s Evanston campus overlooking Lake Michigan. Because learning should not be confined to the classroom, the Global Hub’s flexible and multifaceted building features a variety of signature convening spaces to inspire innovative forms of experiential learning. This quiet campus environment is within close proximity of downtown Chicago and O’Hare International Airport.
Key Benefits:
The program offers a wide range of essential topics that innovation leaders need to understand the business side of operations, including accounting, finance, marketing, and organizational behavior. By the end of the program, participants will gain the skills, concepts, language, tools they need to:
- Align financial and operational decisions for long-term success.
- Negotiate impactful deals while fostering long-term partnerships.
- Formulate, implement, and analyze effective strategies.
- Address leadership challenges, motivate teams, and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders across divisions.
- Grasp the latest thinking and management tools used in the global business environment.
- Gain invaluable insights through connections with industry peers.
Who Should Attend?
- Seasoned innovation managers with at least 10 years of experience in any industry.
- Scientists, chemists, engineers, and technologists who lead a laboratory or department, its personnel, and its budget.
- Research and development directors who have substantial managerial experience with several direct reports.
The common characteristic of all participants is that they have reached a level that demands close engagement with executives from a cross-section of vital functions. The program’s alumni represent a wide range of industries, including equipment and machinery, specialty chemicals, construction and building materials, energy, aerospace, food and beverage, consumer goods among others, highlighting the diverse composition of each group.
What Participants Say:
These alumni testimonials illustrate the meaningful experiences and invaluable outcomes of Shaping Innovation Leaders:
- “Shaping Innovation Leaders was a great opportunity to learn from professors and program attendees that have been extremely successful in their professional career and areas of expertise. I enjoyed the collaborative nature of the program and the overall pace. I have also learned valuable insight into how R&D teams from other industries operate and collaborate in highly competitive markets. Because of SIL, I now have the appropriate tools to reference and use to support my team’s growth.” – Engineering Manager, Trystar
- “Shaping Innovation Leaders was an incredibly valuable experience that expanded my understanding of other business critical functions to which, as a technical innovator, I had little exposure. The course content, including real-world experience from world-renowned professors and selected case studies, will help me better understand how to align innovation with broader business goals and communicate more effectively across departments. I left feeling more equipped to drive impactful innovation within my organization. Because of SIL, I now feel more confident engaging in and challenging business decisions within my organization.” – Senior R&D Leader, Owens Corning
- “Shaping Innovation Leaders has been the most impactful professional training I have ever received. The program is exceptionally well-structured, and the professors bring a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience to each topic. The training equipped me with valuable business tools that enhanced my ability to see the bigger picture and ask insightful questions.” – Senior Scientist, Michelman
Program Fees:
- If you register by February 2, 2026, the program fee is $12,625.00 for IRI members and $14,775.00 for non-members.
- After February 2, 2026, program fees will increase to $13,625.00 for members and $15,775.00 for non-members.
- The program fee includes tuition, materials, a single guest room for four nights, breakfasts, lunches, coffee breaks, as well as welcome and closing dinners.
Visit the program’s FAQ page for more information.
If you still have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us or book a 1-on-1 consultation.
Congratulations to the 2025 class for their dedication and achievements!