Launch into IA
Launch into IA is our convocation for the new Innovation Academy students. The event kicks off the academic year by bringing all of the incoming IA students together and welcoming them to the University of Florida. This event is required for all incoming first-year IA students. Family members are invited to attend as well.
Launch into Innovation Academy
Join Innovation Academy on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (doors open at 8:30 a.m.) to Launch into IA. Launch Into IA is our convocation for new Innovation Academy students. The event kicks off the academic year and welcomes new IA students to the University of Florida.
Location: University Auditorium
- Attendance at Launch into IA is mandatory for all first-year students.
- Business professional attire is required.
- To ensure all attendees have seating and a comfortable experience, each student may bring up to two guests.
Recommended Parking: Garage 4, Additional UF Parking
Keynote speaker: Brad Gamble
CEO of Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention
Since graduating from the UF with his Business degree in 1999, Brad has spent 24 years in Gainesville’s business community. Starting with a 15-year career at Infinite Energy, he began as a part-time sales rep in college, then rose to become the Vice President of Sales & Marketing. During Brad’s career at Infinite Energy, the company grew from $50 million to over $700 million in annual revenue.
After leaving Infinite Energy in 2014, Brad dove headfirst into Gainesville’s startup scene, advising dozens of founders and CEOs, which deepened his passion for innovation and entrepreneurship.
In 2016, he saw an opportunity in the marketplace and launched The Selling Factory, a Gainesville-based lead generation company focused on preparing college students for their careers through a Sales Apprenticeship business model. Over 1,200 college students worked at The Selling Factory over 7 years, supporting nearly 200 companies across the globe.
In April 2024, Brad was appointed as the new CEO of the Cade Museum, located at Depot Park in downtown Gainesville. Opening its doors in 2018, the Cade Museum celebrates the legacy of Dr. Robert Cade, the lead doctor for the UF medical team that invented Gatorade in 1965. The Cade Museum has welcomed over 250,000 guests and has inspired tens of thousands of kids with invention-themed exhibits, field trips, camps, and STEAM-focused activities. Now Brad’s focus is on growing Cade’s impact to communities across the country, inspiring hundreds of thousands of kids to think like inventors and spark hope in our next generation.
| Past Keynote Speakers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Abhi Lokesh (2013) CEO & Co-Founder of Fracture | Josh Greenberg (2014) Co-Founder of Grooveshark | Kristen Hadeed (2015) Founder/CEO of Student Maid & Author |
| Kai Kight (2016) Keynote Speaker & Violinist | Julia Landauer (2017) NASCAR Driver & Keynote Speaker | John Spence (2018) Int. Business Speaker & Author |
| Josh Linkner (2019) Five-Time tech entrepreneur, two-time NY Times bestselling author, venture capitalist and keynote speaker | Gigi Butler (2020) Branding Powerhouse & Founder of Gigi’s Cupcakes | Kai Kight (2021) Keynote Speaker and Violinist |
| Kim Kaupe (2022) Businesswoman, keynote speaker, and one-of-a-kind teacher | Dr. Farouk Dey (2023) Vice Provost for Integrative Learning & Life Design at Johns Hopkins University | Brian Kornfeld (2024) MaxU CEO & Co-Founder, Synapse Co-Founder |