CORPORATE INNOVATION LAB

Catalyzing Insights Across Savannah

Ycenter’s award winning human-centered design innovation framework in collaboration with The Business Innovation Group and Savannah Harbor Innovation Partnership presents a dynamic two-day workshop on May 21-22, 2025.

Designed for students, entrepreneurs, and corporate partners across the Savannah region, this immersive experience focuses on hands-on innovation and real-world problem solving. Participants will work individually or in teams to develop tech-enabled solutions that addresses challenges posed by corporate partners.

Guided by expert facilitators, this workshop emphasizes collaboration, creativity and execution. At the end of day two, participants will present their ideas. The most innovative solutions and compelling pitches will be recognized. All learning materials will be provided, and no prior experience is necessary—just a willingness to engage and think big.

SCHEDULE

DAY 1

9.00 AM Registration, introduction to the program

9.30 AM Complex problem breakdown using human-centered design

11.30 AM Building a problem statement and design brief

12.00 - 1.00 PM Lunch

1.00 PM Dissecting 2 case studies on corporate innovation

2.00 PM Ideation sprint 1

3.00 PM Building blocks for your Innovative BIG IDEA

4.00 PM Reflections and open agenda

May 21, 2025 , 9 - 5 pm

DAY 2

9.00 AM Day 2 registration

9.30 AM Creativity and innovation blocks for your ideas

10.30 AM Research and refining your Idea

12.00 - 1.00 PM Lunch

1.00 PM Storytelling for pitching your IDEA

2.00 PM Working in teams to build your final presentation

3.30 PM Final pitches and feedback

5.30 PM Certificates and networking

May 22, 2025 , 9 - 6 pm

Win a chance to score
internship opportunity with
one of our industry partners

Are you ready to showcase your leadership, innovation, and problem-solving skills? This is your
chance to connect with top industry leaders and secure a potential internship with one of our corporate innovation partners.

Engage in meaningful networking, demonstrate your abilities, and gain visibility with visiting corporate partners who are actively seeking talented individuals for internship opportunities. Don’t miss this chance to take the next step in your career!

All participants will receive a verified LinkedIn certificate

Upon completing our program, Ycenter will provide participants with a verified certificate that can be showcased as a LinkedIn badge, highlighting your achievement and new skills.

This badge not only enhances your professional profile but also signals to potential employers that you've gained valuable, hands-on experience in innovation, sustainability, design thinking and entrepreneurship. We will also showcase your project on our newly launched global repository of SDGs projects for additional growth and networking opportunities.

Register

From Defense to Logistics, from Agri-tech to Global Supply Chain, Savannah is perfectly suited to advance the technological innovations not only for the economic growth of the region, but entire state and that of USA.

Meet the Program Partners and Experts

  • Dhairya Pujara

    FOUNDER, CEO, Ycenter

    Dhairya Pujara is the Founder, CEO at Ycenter, where he has built programs for Sustainability, Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the last 12 years. At Ycenter, he has built award winning Entrepreneurship and Innovation programs for universities and organizations in 30+ countries across 4 continents. His work has been featured in Philadelphia Business Journal, BBC Radio, Entrepreneur magazine, Times Media group and more. He has been a global public speaker with invitations from the United Nations, World Bank, World Economic Forum, Social Enterprise World Forum, SXSW, TEDx and top universities and Fortune 500 companies. He has worked as Policy Innovator and Advisor for multiple governmental agencies and think tanks around the world. He is a serial entrepreneur, working directly to support job creation, technology innovation ventures and for this work he has received a visa reserved for individuals of extraordinary abilities from the US immigration services.

  • Erem Latif

    Executive Director, Savannah Harbor Innovation Partnership

    Erem Latif is a dynamic private industry executive with 20+ years distinguished success focusing on behavioral health, human performance optimization, and go to market strategy. Having spent most of her career developing engagement protocols and successful go to market methodologies for various industry leaders, Ms. Latif is now sharing a similar, more expanded version of her approach in her local community through the efforts in building Savannah's own think tank-innovation engine through the Savannah Harbor Innovation Partnership.

    Ms. Latif has a BS in Biology from Emory University and a MSc in Human Physiology from Georgetown University. She has also received her MBA from Florida Institute of Technology.

Key Partners

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation is an American aircraft company and a subsidiary of General Dynamics. Gulfstream designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and services business jet aircraft. Gulfstream has produced more than 2,000 aircraft since 1958.

The Business Innovation Group at Georgia Southern University works to build an ecosystem throughout
the State of Georgia to help entrepreneurs create, incubate, and accelerate their for-profit business
enterprises. BIG facilitates access to university resources, creates opportunities for student experiential
learning, and fosters an environment that supports a growth mindset throughout the state.

Ycenter is a USA based global innovation consulting organization. Ycenter has developed and
implemented programs for universities, governments, Fortune 500 companies and enabled launch and
growth of new ventures using a Human-centered design framework for innovation. It has received awards
and recognitions ranging from United Nations to Inc magazine and has created impactful projects in 30
countries across 4 continents.

The Savannah Logistics Innovation Center (SILC) combines the most innovative minds, companies and industry changing technology to deliver company specific solutions, improved reliability, enhanced supply chain efficiencies and predictability to the ever changing logistics and supply chain industry.

This program is delivered under the umbrella of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals - UN SDGS

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.