[Saul] Kaplan launched the Business Innovation Factory, which hosts the Collaborative Innovation Summit, shortly after he arrived at the EDC, in 2003. A nonprofit organization financed in part by the EDC and in part by private industry, the innovation factory helps businesses offer new products in Rhode Island.

"We can use Rhode Island as the experiment," Kaplan said...

...The two-day conference is designed as a catalyst to get local business people, educators and government officials working together to come up with new ways to do business in Rhode Island. This year’s event is at the Lederer, home of the Trinity Repertory Company.

Speakers have 15 minutes to tell the story of how their company came up with new ideas or products; one of the speakers was ITEM Group CEO Stephen Lane. Lane's company collaborated on a redesigned emegency room treament bay with Brown University, Lifespan, the University Emergency Medicine Foundation, and the Business Innovation Factory.

"This is collaboration with a purpose,” Kaplan said. “This is a demonstration that we can mobilize a community of innovators."