Lax Conference

Lax Conference

Department Overview

 

About Jonathan R. Lax ’71

Jonathan's interest in founding companies began while he was a high school student, when he started Haddonfield Research and Manufacturing Company, a corporation registered in the state of Delaware. While at Swarthmore, Jonathan followed his entrepreneurial spirit and created a mutual fund that he ran from his Hallowell dorm room, one of many businesses he would start, and run, successfully. After working for several years running his family's manufacturing business, Jonathan founded The Marketing Audit, a market research and consulting firm in Philadelphia. The Jonathan R. Lax Fund, an endowment created by his bequest in 1996, provides annual support for programming focused on entrepreneurship.

About the Lax Conference

The Lax Conference, which began in 2003, honors Jonathan Lax's entrepreneurial spirit and practical nature by bringing together intellectual discussion with pragmatic conversations about starting and sustaining an entrepreneurial venture. View past conference schedules. 

Following a six month audit of entrepreneurship programming at Swarthmore, discussion with the Lax family, and a thorough review of past Lax Conference survey responses, the College decided to shift from the daylong Conference to an evening program focused on networking with fellow alumni and parents and engaging with students. 

In addition, since the Center for Innovation and Leadership (CIL) was founded in 2013 SwatTank has continued to grow in popularity and evolve into a sophisticated innovation competition grounded in academic theory. By moving the final judging to a shorter, evening program we hope to continue to foster and grow the culture of entrepreneurship on campus and increase student attendance.

Please join us on Friday, April 7 from 5–9 p.m. for the SwatTank Innovation Competition and Jonathan R. Lax '71 Networking Reception. Learn more and register.

Sedinam Worlanyo ’17 and Bolutife Fakoya ’17 of YenAra, the 2016 SwatTank winners

Sedinam Worlanyo ’17 and Bolutife Fakoya ’17 of YenAra, the 2016 SwatTank winners, show off two of their backpack designs.

Alumni and students thoughtfully engaged in discussions about social impact ventures, bringing Swarthmore values to the entrepreneurial experience, and the business of art during Lax 2014.

Mackenzie Welch ’15 (left) and Aldo Frosinini ’15, winners of the 2015 SwatTank competition, deliver their pitch for "Sabio" to the judges and the audience

Dorwin P. Cartwright Professor of Social Theory and Social Action Barry Schwartz presents his SwatTalk, "Why We Work," in April 2015.

Eduardo Umana Gomez ’15 (right) presents his designs for Classic Engineering during the Lax 2015 poster session. 

Joseph Turner ’73 opens the 2014 conference.

Brennan Klein ’14, winner of the 2014 SwatTank competition, presents his poster on "Wall.It" 

Sedinam Worlanyo ’17 and Bolutife Fakoya ’17 of YenAra, the 2016 SwatTank winners, show off two of their backpack designs.

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