The Pomerantz Center hosted the first public innovation center discussion Wednesday night in order to spearhead talk about the new Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation and introduce Bruce Mau, who will help the center come to fruition.

Although the building does not yet have a site on campus, or even a design, Tippie College of Business Dean Sarah Fisher Gardial said the series of discussions will be vital to the formation of the building.

Before Gardial took the microphone, attendees of the discussion were greeted with members of the University of Iowa Marching Band, a four-piece steel band, and the hustle and bustle of administrators talking.

One thing became apparent — this would not be a normal lecture, and Gardial echoed the feeling.

“This is not going to be the usual kind of academic exercise we usually have on campus,” Gardial said.

Attendees were given buttons with phrases such as “design your own economy” and “break through the noise.” These buttons reflected aspects of Mau’s creative process.

The entrepreneurial center, Gardial said, was started 21 years ago by a group of
entrepreneurial-minded people. But as their numbers grew, so did their need for space. This “what will happen next?” question, Gardial said, is the main reason for these
discussions.

Mau, CEO of the Massive Change Network, then took the stage — he has built his career on innovative design, working with clients such as the Museum of Modern Art and Coca-Cola.

Mau will lead the various discussions and workshops leading up to the construction of the entrepreneurial center.

“Why do we need a center for entrepreneurial innovation?” Mau asked. “For me, this is a question [the UI needs] to answer — what will this mean for the university, the city, the state, and the country?”

Mau discussed a number of his previous projects and described how design has changed during his career. Closing his lecture, he discussed what will make the entrepreneurial center at the UI unique, and act as a place where ideas can flourish.