Utah Tech Week Strategic Open: How Innovation Leaders Think
The Utah Tech Week Strategic Open is an immersive, high-energy experience that turns strategic thinking into something you can see, feel, and participate in.
Hosted by The Nucleus Institute, Utah’s central engine for innovation, this event blends a rare live simultaneous chess exhibition with concise, thought-provoking panels that explore how Utah’s most effective innovation leaders think, decide, and build for long-term impact.
What Is a Simultaneous Exhibition?
In a simultaneous chess exhibition, one highly skilled player competes against multiple opponents at the same time, moving from board to board while managing dozens of strategic scenarios simultaneously. Each move requires foresight, adaptability, and the ability to weigh risk, timing, and consequence in real time.
That same mindset is at the core of innovation.
As the exhibition unfolds, attendees can watch strategy take shape—how a single decision can ripple across many outcomes, how momentum shifts, and how long-term positioning often matters more than short-term wins.
Strategy in Motion — On and Off the Board
The chess exhibition anchors the experience, but it doesn’t stop there.
Chess boards will be set up throughout the space, inviting experienced players and first-time participants alike to sit down, make a move, and try their hand at the game. Whether you’re a seasoned player looking for a challenge or someone learning the rules for the first time, the environment is intentionally welcoming, social, and low-pressure.
These open boards transform the event from something to watch into something to join—sparking conversation, curiosity, and connection across experience levels.
From Game Play to Real-World Impact
Between rounds of play, the action on the chess floor is paired with short, high-impact panel discussions featuring leaders from Utah’s innovation ecosystem. These conversations connect what’s happening on the board to real-world decision-making, exploring topics such as:
How research is translated from the lab into commercial success
How founders and operators make decisions amid uncertainty
How complex technology ventures scale responsibly and sustainably
How long-term strategy drives economic and technological impact
Rather than abstract theory, the Strategic Open makes strategy visible—bridging chess, innovation leadership, and real-world execution in a way that’s engaging, accessible, and memorable.
Who Should Attend
The Strategic Open is designed for:
Founders and startup operators
Researchers and commercialization leaders
Investors and ecosystem partners
Students and professionals curious about how innovation decisions are made
No chess experience is required. Whether you come to watch, listen, play, or simply explore, this event invites participation at every level.
Why It Matters
Innovation doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of disciplined thinking, calculated risk, and the ability to see several moves ahead. The Strategic Open brings those ideas to life—creating a shared space where strategy becomes tangible and Utah’s innovation community comes together.